Complement
by BTM707
Summary: He was a loyal hero. She was an aggressive pirate. At a first glance, they had nothing in common. At a second one, it was exactly what they needed.
1. Stars

_Alright, so here's the thing. I miss writing, but I don't really have the time to do it. Or at least, have the time to commit to some big project. However, I'm going to try something new, and that is a story of oneshots, so that I can write small things when I can, and in whatever tone I choose. It gives me a bit of lenience to be creative, and with school being a time-consuming bitch, I really need that at this point.  
_

_And so, here we are. A collection of oneshots about Link and Tetra, featuring _only_ them (probably), completely unrelated to anything else I've written. How old are they, anyway? I used to know… Let's pretend they're fourteen, 'kay? Seems fair. I mean, she leads a crew of pirates. She has to be old enough to lead but young enough to still be a child. Link too, so we'll say fourteen for the sake of these stories. They'll be about whatever I choose, so they could theoretically cover anything. Ready to begin? I hope I am. Welcome to **Complement**._

* * *

**Stars**

The waves lapped gently against the ship as it slid silently through the dark waters. Apart from that, it was silent all around him. He couldn't quite believe how quiet the ocean could be at night, but here he was, witnessing it firsthand. Beyond water, there wasn't a sound anywhere.

Which begged the question as to why he was up at such a late hour. It was clear that the rest of the world was lost in a dark, quiet slumber, but he found himself unable to do the same. It may have been the fact that everything he knew in his life had been thrown upside-down, what with his sister being kidnapped by a monstrous bird. That thought alone was enough to keep him awake, out of guilt and worry.

On top of that, he had impulsively persuaded a group of pirates to take him to his sister. It had seemed like a good idea at the time – he needed to find his sister, and they knew where she was. But maybe, in hindsight, he should have thought it through a little more. After all, these _were_ pirates. Who was to say they didn't just throw him overboard as soon as Outset was out of sight and be done with him? He supposed the captain felt indebted to him for saving her, though it was apparent she didn't care at all for the thought.

Regardless, he was on a pirate ship with no one to watch out for him. And while the crew seemed to respect him enough to leave him be, he still felt nervous at the thought of falling asleep with them. They outnumbered him seven to one, and he didn't have much experience in fighting – none at all, actually. What was he doing here again?

Link sighed, rubbing his temples. He needed to stop thinking about this, or else he'd never get any rest tonight. He had decided to get some air in lieu of lying on a bunk while sleep eluded him, thinking that some fresh air would calm him down. And so he found himself on the deck of the ship, surrounded by darkness and the sound of water softly splashing against the boat.

Looking around, he noticed the clear sky full of stars above him. They were intriguing, the way they glimmered so brightly while dotting the black space above him. Glancing at the crow's nest, he decided to get a better view. Everyone else was asleep anyway, so it wasn't like he could get in any trouble for being up there.

That thought flashed through his head when he reached the top of the ladder – only to find the girl he had helped earlier sitting in the nest, staring up at the sky herself. He froze, wondering if she had seen him. She hadn't reacted, and her eyes seemed glazed, as if she was deep in thought. He decided to shift back down the ladder, being as quiet as he could, until-

"Where are you going?"

He cringed. She had noticed him after all, and now she had made it worse by addressing him. Somehow, he didn't feel comfortable being alone with this girl on top of a tall platform. She had an air about her that was… scary, and almost dangerous. But it was too late to leave now. Besides, they were on a ship in the middle of the ocean; even if he did ignore her, where could he go where she couldn't find him?

So, he struggled to come up with some answer that would explain what he was doing: why he was up so late, why he was up in the crow's nest, and why he had tried to leave after finding her. The problem was that his mind was completely blank right now. Truthfully, he was pretty scared of her, and it was distracting his thinking.

"I… Um…" he stuttered, trying to think of something, _anything, _to say to her. She was looking at him now, her expression unnervingly neutral. "I just, you know, wanted some air. Because I couldn't… um, sleep," he answered lamely, but her expression didn't change. He was worried about getting in trouble for being on the crow's nest before she spoke, "Seems fair. Well, you're here now. Stop hiding and get up here."

Hesitantly, he complied and sat down beside her. There was just enough room for two to sit side by side, and it left him a little nervous to be so close to her. His eyes dropped down to the dagger she had sitting on her hip. What if she used it on him? What if she killed him right here to get rid of him? This had to be a trap. What were the odds they would both be in the same, cramped place-

"You're shaking," she noted, bringing him back from his worries. He looked down and noticed that his hands were indeed visibly shaking in his lap. She eyed him oddly with a raised brow and asked, "Are you cold? That getup doesn't offer much warmth?"

Great. He had known this girl for less than a day, talked to her, what, four times? And now the subject was back on his clothing. It wasn't like he enjoyed it himself, but he hadn't thought of changing when leaving with the pirates.

"I'm not cold," he answered, trying to keep his voice steady. "I just wanted to look at the stars, that's all." _And I hadn't expected to run into you here._

She was silent for a moment, her eyes back up at the sky above them. Slowly, Link did the same. They sat in silence for a moment, taking in the view, before she answered, "Mm. It's relaxing, seeing them shine. A treasure you can't put your hands on, and one that chooses when it wants to show itself."

Link blinked. That was actually… very nice to hear. He glanced at her, and quickly looked away when she glanced back. Eye contact with her just didn't feel like something he wanted. It felt like she could see right through him with her focused gaze. Even so… She had a way with words, he had to admit. It wasn't something he had expected from her.

Then again, he didn't know her at all; she was a pirate, and that was it. Maybe he had been jumping to conclusions about her and her crew. They _had_ agreed to help him find his sister, and that was something he was grateful for. Could pirates really be compassionate like that…?

"Look kid, I'm sorry about what happened to your sister," she spoke, and despite himself, he felt the corners of his mouth tugging into a frown. Kid? She had to be the same age as him. Where did she get off talking down to him like that?

"I'm not just a kid. I'm fourteen years old," he protested. "How old are you supposed to be?"

He immediately regretted it. She shot him a look that was chilling enough to make him recoil slightly. It was a look that told him that question was too personal, one you didn't just forwardly _ask_ a pirate captain. Sure, it had been disrespectful, but even so. They _had_ to be close in age.

After a moment of tense silence, she finally answered. "I'll be fourteen in a couple months," she replied, and he stared, incredulous. He was older than her? And she was bossing him around like it was nothing?

She seemed to read his mind, because her next reply immediately shot down his thoughts. "I've seen things that would make your head spin, kid. I've fought in some vicious fights, and barely come out with my life. You?" She trailed off, glancing over him. "It doesn't look like you've fought at all. I'm willing to bet serious money that you've never even been off that island of yours. So before you say anything, I have enough experience to kick your scrawny backside into a coma before you could even say 'help me'. If you're on _my_ ship, you will do as _I _say, and you will address me with _respect_. Got it?"

He was stunned. Maybe she wasn't quite what he thought she had maybe been a couple minutes ago. Even so, he did feel a little guilty. "I'm sorry," he replied quietly.

Her gaze softened in response his defeated look. That had been too aggressive. After all, she was used to dealing with adults and had to act like one. Link was not an adult. Rather, he was a boy with no gritty life experiences, someone who hadn't tasted dark reality before now. She sighed.

"Don't be," she muttered. "It's not your fault." He looked at her, and she kept talking to lighten the mood. "I mean, I guess it sort of was a _little _bit my fault that your sister was taken. Stupid bird thinks all blondes look alike," she tossed out with a sarcastic roll of her eyes, and Link found himself smiling. "And I know this whole thing is way beyond what you're used to. So… I'll help you out for a while longer. Just for a while though," she added quickly when his face lit up. "I don't need to be distracted by some kid when I've got more important things to do."

Link's grin only widened, and it was so sincere that she had a faint smile rise to her lips as well. "I'm turning in. Tomorrow's going to be a long day, so don't be up too late. We work on this ship, and I expect you to carry your weight."

He nodded as she stood up and headed for the ladder. Before she could disappear, he said, "Thank you for helping me, Captain."

She stared at him a moment before shooting him a quick wink and answering, "Don't mention it." She descended out of sight, leaving him alone. "And it's Tetra," her voice called out of the darkness. "Just Tetra."

Link's eyes lingered on the ladder before turning back up to the sky. The scary captain wasn't actually that scary at all. In a lot of ways, she was just being an adult because she needed to be. It was obvious she wasn't used to being with someone her age. Maybe he could change that.

He smiled slightly, laughing internally for ever being afraid of her. "Tetra," he echoed softly to the darkness. "It's nice to meet you."


	2. Lesson

_I guess this wouldn't be too long after 'Stars'. They're still getting to know each other._

* * *

**Lesson**

"Nudge! Senza! Secure the line!" Tetra barked as she strode across the deck. "Gonzo, take us north! We've got a new destination!" She glanced around, making sure everything that needed to be done was happening. It was then that she happened to notice Link practicing at the bow of the ship, swinging his sword at the imaginary foes that surrounded him.

Her attention caught, she watched for a moment as he went back and forth. It was clear that he'd had a bit of training – the cuts he made were accurate and strong. But it was also obvious that he had been in few real fights. His stance was still unbalanced, and he did not grip his blade with any force. It was as if he was afraid to really hold the weapon. If he was going to storm the Fortress and save his sister, that had to change.

"Alright, kid, I've seen enough," she called out as she joined him at the bow. Link stopped and turned to face her, brow furrowing as he panted.

"I'm not a kid. My name is Link, you know that," he spoke with _almost_ a hint of annoyance. It seemed he'd learned from the last time he'd spoken out. Regardless, she ignored him.

"You're going to get yourself killed if you keep that up," she instead voiced, eyes directed at his feet. To prove her point, she stepped forward and softly but steadily pushed his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise as he loudly fell over onto the deck, with hardly a hint of grace.

"See? No balance," she added with a chuckle. "One strong parry and you'll end up just like that. Only your enemy won't hesitate to strike you while you're down there." She held out a hand to help him up, but Link ignored it and simply picked himself up, obviously frustrated with her.

"I'm not that bad. I did save you in the forest, in case you've forgotten. I think I can hold my own just fine," he countered, dusting himself off. Tetra only snorted and rolled her eyes, turning away to face the ocean.

"Against those mindless idiots? Your grandmother could've taken them down without breaking a sweat. That isn't a feat to be proud of." She turned to face him again and drew her dagger. "You think you're good though? Prove it." She adopted a stance and waited while he stared blankly at her.

"You want me to attack you?" he asked skeptically. She nodded with a determined look. Link simply shrugged and walked toward her, raising his sword.

"Stop." He did as he was told, confused. Tetra shook her head. "You said you had skill. I want you to prove it. Attack me like you mean it. Pretend I'm the one who took your sister!"

Link frowned, but stepped back and adopted a ready stance. Staring at Tetra and imagining her as some faceless foe, he gripped his sword tightly and swung.

Effortlessly, without so much as flinching, Tetra blocked the blow and shoved back. Link cried out as he found himself back on the deck. Tetra rolled her eyes. "See? You're unbalanced. I didn't even do anything. I didn't have to; I just acted on what you'd already done to yourself."

Link got back up, frustrated again. He raised his sword over his head and brought down a strong cut aimed at Tetra's head. Lazily, she raised one arm and caught it with her dagger, deflecting his sword down beside her. He pulled back and swung again, only to have it yield the same result. His frustration building, he took a clumsy step forward and stabbed at her, only for her to nimbly step back and swat his sword away. She made contact again and spun the blade a couple times before he lost his grip and dropped it. It clattered loudly as it slid away down the deck, while Tetra said nothing as she sheathed her weapon. She had driven her point home – there was nothing left to say.

She turned and walked away, content to leave him with his thoughts. His voice calling her name, however, stopped her. She turned around to find him back on his feet and walking her way, sword in hand. He stopped before her and stared into her eyes, anger clashing with curiosity. After a moment, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"You're right," he mumbled. "My form is off. There wasn't much time for me to learn." She frowned. She only wanted to teach him, not depress him into thinking he couldn't fight. However, his next question banished the thought from her head.

"You said you've had lots of experience fighting, and I can see it," he spoke softly. Looking at her again, he asked, "Could you teach me how to fight?"

She hesitated, her voice catching in her throat. She hadn't meant him to think she'd instruct him; she only wanted to offer a few pointers. And she _did_ have other things to attend to, surely he understood that?

But the way he looked at her wore down her resolve. She had spoken the truth: fighting like that would only get him killed in the Fortress. But he was determined to rescue his sister, and though she couldn't understand why, she wanted him to succeed. So, for reasons she couldn't explain, she found herself nodding to his request.

"Alright. I'll teach you." She stepped back and drew her weapon once more. Adopting her position from before, she took a deep breath before staring at him straight in the eye. "Again."

Link nodded, and, smiling, raised his sword.


	3. Candy

_So, unless I explicitly mention a reference or continuation of another chapter, these don't really have much of a chronological order. So I have no idea when this takes place. Sometime during Wind Waker, likely._

* * *

**Candy_  
_**

He had no idea what town they were in – travelling on the ocean for so long, he'd realized that the islands began to blend together. He didn't mind, though. It was bright and cheerful, and all of the townsfolk seemed quite friendly and inviting despite the enormous ship that was docked there. He was thankful they weren't hostile towards pirates. Or perhaps Tetra just had a decent reputation around here. Either way, as they walked down the road, the only looks they got were smiles.

They stopped off at a kiosk to buy some supplies and a bit of food for the men. The man was more than friendly towards them, and offered his services at a very low price. It was almost too good to be true; perhaps business was just good around here. Link didn't care though. He was just happy that everyone else seemed to be content.

It also struck him as a bit odd that pirates still legitimately bought things, but Tetra had once said that if you stole too much, it hurt your reputation to the point where you wouldn't even be allowed near civilization. Besides, her crew were known for being… much more merciful than most pirates. They rarely inflicted any actual harm when stealing, and they usually only stole from people who either deserved it or wouldn't suffer too much from it.

It wasn't perfect, but Link was happy enough with the results. They could walk around without being feared, at least. That was always a plus in his books. Especially since he had a bit of a reputation himself building; associating with dangerous pirates probably wouldn't be seen as acceptable.

The sound of Tetra and the shopkeeper chatting brought Link out of his thoughts. They were finishing up already? Tetra really didn't care to waste time when her objective was clear. She thanked the merchant and began hauling bags into Link's arms, which he responded to with a roll of his eyes and a smile. Obviously she had brought him along for something like this, but he couldn't help but notice that she didn't mind his company, either.

They began their trek back to the ship when Link noticed a small bag in Tetra's hand. He stared at it until Tetra noticed his gaze and glanced away.

"It's nothing," she said, but Link wasn't going to accept that. He was a curious person by nature, and wanted to know what was in the bag she'd rather carry herself than give to him.

She sighed and pulled out a small, red ball. He blinked in confusion until she popped it into her mouth, a content smile rising to her lips. They walked in silence until she could no longer ignore his confused stare burrowing into the side of her head.

"It's candy, alright?" she answered finally, though with the slightest hint of embarrassment. Link couldn't help but crack a grin. This tough-as-nails pirate had a sweet tooth? She had been so serious about buying only what they needed, and yet she had bought candy for herself. Not only did it seem out of place for her, but it was a rare glimpse of what she really was: still a child.

Tetra rolled her eyes. "Open your mouth," she told him, and he hesitantly did as she asked. She took a ball and placed it in his mouth. He chewed it slowly, savouring the taste. It was a little tough and sour on the outside, but the core was very soft and sweet. The flavours and textures were a very nice complement; he could see why she liked them so much.

She smirked and plopped another one in her mouth. "Just don't tell the boys, alright?" she asked. "I like to surprise them with these. They go nuts for them." Link nodded in understanding as they walked on. He couldn't help but notice, as they arrived at the ship, how similar she was to the candy she so adored. Watching her walk up the gangplank, he wondered if she knew it as well.


	4. Guilt

_Ah, what the hell. One more before bed. Who knows when I'll get to do more of these._

_I like to imagine that Link stops and visits Tetra every time he does a dungeon or something. Just for a bit. Just to keep in touch._

* * *

**Guilt**

She stood silently, watching him. There was something unnerving about the way he sat there, crumpled against the railing, his face hid in his knees. His breathing was ragged, she could see that. He was likely crying. But the problem that stood, the one that prevented her from doing anything, was obvious all over her body.

She didn't really know how to comfort someone. She wasn't sure what to do, or what not to do. What to say and what not to say. What to console and what to hammer in. It was clear that he needed something, but she was simply at a loss as to what that was.

Her men didn't have these issues, so there had never been an opportunity to learn. And her own issues, she either buried behind a mask or hid with herself in her room. The simple truth was that she clueless about what to do to help him. But, deciding she had to do _something_, she found herself walking over to him, her steps slow and tense.

She sank down beside him, but he didn't acknowledge her. Perhaps he hadn't noticed? That seemed possible, given his condition. She sighed. What did she do? Say something? Pat him on the back? Were they even close enough to console each other? What if she screwed up and did something that scared him, or made things weird? This was beginning to terrify her.

He let out a dry heave, and her brow furrowed. Deciding to act, she slowly extended a hand and, after intense back-and-forth consideration, hesitantly placed it on his shoulder. He sniffled loudly and turned to face her. Her expression became pained when she noticed the cascade of tears falling down his cheeks, and the large stain they'd left on his tunic. His eyes were glowing red, and his breathing was shallow and erratic, broken occasionally by hiccoughs. He looked terrible; something serious must have happened in the Fortress. It occurred suddenly that she still did not know the reason for his pain, so she gently squeezed his shoulder, hoping the action wasn't too odd. "What happened?"

He took in several huffy breaths that she assumed were an attempt to calm himself down, and wiped his eyes. "I f-failed," he stuttered in between heaves. "Sh-she was right th-there, but I-I-I-" He swallowed, trying to control his breathing. "I got c-caught by that bird and thrown o-out into the water!" He lost himself again, burrowing his face into his knees once more. Tetra frowned and, despite herself, began rubbing his back to calm him down.

"I was s-so c-close!" he cried, his strained voice muffled further by his knees. She kept rubbing, a little upset herself. No wonder he was like this. He was afraid of security tightening in the Fortress, or something happening to his sister now that it was known that someone was looking for her. She supposed that, if the girl had seen her brother only for him to be taken away by that monster, she would be having a freak-out herself. Link could be dead, for all she knew. And from his point of view, she could be gone, taken elsewhere for safekeeping.

"It's all my f-fault!" Link cried louder, losing himself once more. "I couldn't p-p-protect her! I tried to h-help h-her, but I screwed that up t-too! I'm a useless brother!"

Tetra put her arm around his shoulders and awkwardly pulled him into a sort of hug. Her entire body screamed uncomfortable, but she would just have to learn to live with it. Link needed some help right now, and even if she didn't know what she was doing, he seemed to be taking solace in it.

"You're not a useless brother," she replied, and Link looked up at her, trying to wipe away his tears. "You braved the worst place on the ocean to try and get her back. That's some serious commitment, Link." His eyes lit up at the sound of his name, and she cracked a small smile. "Trust me. If could do that, I think she believes in you to rescue her. It may not be anytime soon," she added before his hopes could get too high, "but she knows you'll come back."

He took a deep breath, his voice shaking considerably less. "You really believe that?"

She smiled with a wink. "Count on it."

His face broke into a grin, and he chuckled, trying to wipe his face dry. "Okay. Thanks, Tetra."

They sat in silence for a moment, both unsure of what to do. Her arm was still around him, and she didn't know whether to keep it there or take it back. Link didn't seem to mind, but he seemed a little embarrassed as well, now that he had calmed down.

A thought entered her head, and she was compelled to ask, "If you were tossed back into the ocean, how did you make it back here?"

"Some magic boat found me in the ocean." Magic boat? Well, she surmised, that would probably explain what that red thing banging against her ship had been. And though she wasn't sure what exactly made a boat 'magic', she didn't feel the need to ask. Not right now, at any rate.

They sat together in silence, Link having calmed down considerably. Tetra's arm remained around him, and an awkwardness remained in the air that she was fully aware of. Ignoring it, her thoughts turned to the boy beside her. They had both learned something about each other, and, she realized, she had learned something about herself as well – she supposed she had him to thank for that. Despite that, she also wanted this healing to be over at some point, so she could ditch this caring attitude and go back to what she was supposed to be. But Link didn't need a cold pirate right now; he needed a caring friend.

So for now, she was content to sit there with him, for as long as he needed.


	5. Sing

_Remember when weekends were a break from business and work? Can we go back to that? Whatever. One more week of school. One more goddamn week._

* * *

**Sing**

It was without any real purpose that he walked across the deck, sighing softly to himself. It was an odd feeling, having a day off. No work to be done on the ship, no heroics that demanded his immediate attention… It was almost nice, being like a normal citizen every now and then. The only problem was that it always left him, though he disliked it, a little bored. He was so engraved in routine that he didn't really know how to handle a day off. And so, when those few special days came around, he usually found himself doing exactly as he was doing: wandering around, attempting to think of some possible task that could occupy his time.

Sadly, nothing came to mind now. He'd go visit his grandmother if she weren't so far away, but he couldn't help that. Besides, he was already on the ship. His intention had been to spend some time with Tetra and her crew. The problem was that they were nowhere to be found.

He had arrived at Windfall only to find the ship docking there as well. He had eagerly gone over to greet them; however, the men seemed a little more intent on food or some such, having rushed past him with only a quick "Hey, Link" to acknowledge his presence.

So here he was, wandering around on the deck. He supposed he could try and find some of the guys – it wasn't like Windfall was _that_ big. But he assumed they'd been out for a while now, and they were probably anxious for some real food and drinks, likely without wanting to catch up while doing so. Not that it bothered him; he knew the experience all too well himself. But it still left him without anything to do. There was also an unspoken question that had entered into his thoughts when the ship arrived, and now it was beginning to plague him.

Tetra was nowhere to be found. He had assumed she'd follow her men out on some errands of her own, but she had yet to show herself. He frowned as he eyed the door that led below deck. It wasn't like she knew he was here – perhaps she wasn't here at all – but he had wanted to see her. If she wasn't going to show herself though, then he supposed he would have to go looking for her.

He was about to do so when something reached his ears. It was a soft, very faint echo, but it sounded… musical. Yes, it wasn't noise; there was definitely a rhythm to it. He stood and listened, straining to hear it. It was so faint, but it sounded incredibly nice. He had to find out where it was coming from. It couldn't be far from him, it was barely perceivable already.

He wandered back and forth on the deck, turning around whenever he lost the sound. After a moment, his eyes darted towards the door, and he slowly made his way toward it. Throwing it open, he was hit with a much more resonant sound. His eyes widened in surprise. It was singing! But it was coming from below the deck?

Link stood there momentarily, puzzled. It was definitely a voice, he was sure of it. But he was the only one he knew of on the ship; everyone else was accounted for, save for the reclusive captain. He blinked, trying to register his thoughts. Logically, if she was here, that would mean _she_ was the source of the sound. But that thought just didn't sit right. Tetra didn't seem like the type to sing; she seemed like the type to yell and swing a blade at you, a leader born out of fighting. They seemed like two ends of a spectrum.

Shaking his head, he passed through the doorway and descended down the stairs. The pleasant sound was growing louder, very clearly coming from behind the closed door ahead that led to her room. He couldn't believe his eyes. She _was _singing…? He had to be sure. He walked towards her door and softly knocked.

The music immediately stopped, and the absolute stillness that followed felt a little unnerving. After a moment, he heard slow footsteps coming closer, before the door finally swung open. She stood there, with wide eyes and burning cheeks. It seemed like she hadn't planned on being discovered.

"I- What're you doing here?" she asked in disbelief, her fingers drumming on the door rather quickly. Link had to suppress a grin. She was obviously embarrassed that he had discovered her doing something so out of character. He didn't want to rub it in though, at least at the moment, so he bit his tongue and swallowed.

"I was in town, thought I'd drop in and say 'hey'," he answered. "I can come back if it's a bad time."

Tetra hesitated a moment before shaking her head. "It's fine. I just… thought I was alone, that's all. I'll be right up." She quickly closed the door before he could reply. So he simply smiled and turned around.

How interesting. She had thought she was alone, so she had sung. He wasn't sure why others knowing that fact would embarrass her, but it likely had to do with her image that she cared so much about. He had to admit, she wasn't wrong – he hadn't been able to believe she would sing, either. Even so, when she was by herself, she seemed to shed the attitude she always wore. Truthfully, that made him curious: he wanted to know what else she guarded for the sake of her tough reputation. She had unknowingly given him a look into something personal that she did, possibly even enjoyed. And he wanted to know more.

He shrugged, returning to the deck. If she had tried to cover it up out of embarrassment, he'd keep the teasing to a minimum. Even despite the fact that, he had to admit, she had a beautiful voice.


	6. Responsible

_I think this predates 'Sing' – he's only taking his first steps as the new hero._

* * *

**Responsible**

She eyed him skeptically. This wasn't quite what she'd imagined when he had told her. "So that's it?"

He nodded in response, smiling softly at the delicate baton in his hands. "It's pretty amazing, actually. With it I can basically bend time, or warp space. I can twist the fabric of reality by manipulating the elements as I wish. I could do almost anything I wanted with this," he spoke with a hint of excitement, not unlike prospect of a child convincing a parent for a new toy. "It was used by the kings of old, way back when there was still a kingdom. But, supposedly, they're all gone. So it's fallen to me."

He held out the Wind Waker, gesturing for her to take it. But she hesitated – it was not her place to wield it, after all. She was not the prophesized hero; from what she'd heard, that was now supposedly him. But he insisted, so she reluctantly held out her hand for him to drop it into. The first thing she noticed was that it was heavy; she hadn't anticipated much weight to it, but it was as if all of the magical qualities it possessed were bearing down on it. The other thing that was odd was that it was quite warm. Not a scalding heat under the aggressive sun, but simply… warm. Inviting. As if begging to be used.

"Here, follow me," he told her. He held out his arm and she copied him, holding the baton firmly. She began to follow his arm motions, and almost dropped it in surprise – it began to glow, and disembodied voices sounded from all around them, reacting to the baton's guide. She finished his pattern, looking at him expectantly. He only grinned, watching her expression. "Think of a direction."

She wasn't sure she understood. _Think of a direction? Like, north-_ Immediately, a strong gust blew past her face. Blinking in disbelief, she pulled out her compass and studied it. The wind _had_ changed direction, and it had answered what she had unknowingly asked.

Link laughed, taking back the baton. "Pretty cool, right?" She shared his smile after a moment of consideration. It _was_, actually. It was as if the world was waiting at his command. The thought of controlling the elements was an intriguing one, but as she eyed the object in his hand, she felt it was also one that frightened her.

The thing had ridiculous power, and it was being entrusted to a child. She supposed there wasn't a chance of him using it for evil – he was quite responsible, after all – but it just felt like too much for one person. By using it, he was stepping into a new destiny, one that tied him to the kingdom and evils of old. It was a tremendous responsibility that had been placed on his shoulders. He was having the fate of the ocean shoved into his hands without a say in the matter, but he didn't seem to mind. Maybe he didn't yet realize it; she hoped it stayed that way for a while longer. He couldn't yet see that his life was going to change, but it inevitably would. He had set out to save his sister, but had now gotten involved in something bigger, some much greater fate that awaited him. His life couldn't be the same now.

And in a way, she felt a pang of guilt for leading him to it.


	7. Swim

_Kind of a silly idea, and one that's been done to death, I'm sure. I don't care though; it's all character development, right? I mean, she's a pirate, so it might be a necessity, but... Oh well, I suppose it could happen._

_What's the better choice? What's easiest now? Or what'll help down the road?_

* * *

**Swim**

He surfaced, taking in a deep breath while splashing water all around him. He had always enjoyed swimming, ever since he was little. After all, there weren't too many things to occupy his time on Outset outside of chores, so he often got his exercise by swimming laps along the beach. He would always try and convince others to join him; however, the adults were too busy with work, and the children were too young to swim without their supervision. The only other person who could was Aryll, and there _were_ times when she did accompany him. Often, though, she preferred to play with the seagulls in the lookout, chatting away with them as if they could speak back. It didn't bother him – she had her hobbies and he had his. So he swam by himself.

Now, though, he couldn't understand why he was alone. There were definitely others who could've jumped off the ship with him, yet no one had. Surely the men liked to cool off every now and then; wasn't it a reasonable assumption that they would have swam too? Supposedly it was, had they not been too tired from the day's work to attempt it. He couldn't argue with that. However, the captain had holed herself up in her room all day, studying several charts for a reason she refused to divulge. She had finally come out for some air, seating herself on the prow with her legs swinging to watch him. But she showed no indication of entering the water.

He couldn't explain it. It felt unbelievably refreshing, the cool water chilling his body under the glaring sun. It should have been an immediate choice. "Aren't you coming in?" he finally called up at her. She was motionless for a moment before he could make out her head shaking. "How come? It's _really_ nice!"

"I don't feel like it," she called back with a shrug. The corners of his mouth fell into a frown. How could someone not feel like cooling off when the water was right here? Especially after being cooped up in small quarters, staring over papers all day?

"C'mon, Tetra! Swim with me!" he coaxed with an innocent smile. He saw her snort and dramatically roll her eyes, but she still refused him. What was wrong with swimming? "What, don't you like it?"

"Of course I do!" came the reply, but there had been an unmistakable hesitation. He frowned again. There was something in her voice that he couldn't let go. Sighing, he swam over to the hanging rope and pulled himself back up to the deck. Shaking his hair out, he wandered over to the prow, where she hadn't moved.

"Why don't you like it?" he asked, a bit more gently this time. He noticed her body tense slightly before quickly relaxing. Why was she hiding something from him?

"I _do_ like it. Really." He wasn't convinced.

"Then why didn't you join me?"

"I didn't feel like it."

It was his turn to roll his eyes. He didn't understand why she was being defensive. "You're not hot?"

"Of course I'm hot," she answered crossly. "Who wouldn't be? Can't you feel the sun?"

"Then why not cool off in the water?"

"I-" She stopped herself, carefully thinking before finally closing her mouth. Standing up, she walked past him. "We're done talking."

"Tetra, wait!" She ignored him and kept walking, her destination unclear; it simply seemed like she just wanted to get away from him. He ran ahead and stopped her before she could get any further.

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "Move."

"Not until I know what's bothering you," came his steady response. She could have easily overpowered him right then, and the look in her eyes had him believing it for a moment. Instead, though, she sighed, her shoulders falling.

"Alright, look," she answered, not meeting his gaze and instead staring at something over his shoulder, "When I was little, we ended up in a bit of a storm. The waves were choppy, and they just kept hitting against the ship. And then this pretty big one came out of nowhere, and it slammed the ship so hard that it rocked, and then…" She trailed off with a shrug. "I dunno. I just… fell over the edge."

She glanced at him, but he said nothing. So she continued, "I couldn't really swim. I mean, I knew how to, but the waves were too strong. They kept pulling me under." She sighed, obviously not fond of the memory. "My mother jumped in and got me, but it just… It shook me up. I never really cared for being in the water after that."

He wasn't sure what to say. Part of him felt bad that he had tried to make her swim, but another part said that she should have told him something like that. Or at least just admit that she didn't like it. It would have been easier in the long run. "But I've seen you in the water before. You swim fine."

She shrugged. "I _can _swim, when I need to. I mean, I'm on the water a lot; it's going to happen now and then. I just don't like to. I'd rather just sit and watch it."

Link nodded in understanding. That _would_ be a pretty jarring experience, to be sure. But still… "Why not just tell me you don't like swimming? It would've saved us an argument." She shrugged again, obviously searching for an answer.

"I guess I just thought that you would think it was silly," she replied finally. "I mean, a pirate that doesn't like swimming? Pretty embarrassing compared to an island boy." She quickly glanced at him and added, "No offense, I mean."

He laughed. "Relax, I'm not going to think less of you over something you don't like. I'm not _that_ shallow, am I?" he asked, raising a brow and offering a cheeky smile. She slowly cracked one in response.

"Fine," she agreed with a roll of her eyes, "Next time I have a secret that interferes with your plans and ultimately pisses me off, I'll tell you straight-off what it is."

He raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Promise?"

After a moment's hesitation, she sighed and nodded, still smiling. "Yeah. Promise."


	8. Pain

_Some angst, because I felt like it. It'll probably come from time to time; they won't all be nice and sweet._

_Takes place after Wind Waker, I think, but not quite Phantom Hourglass._

* * *

**Pain**

She flinched rather aggressively as he applied some healing cream to her face. Regardless of how much she protested, she needed it. She should have been thanking the Goddesses that she was even alive, but instead she stubbornly assured him that she was fine. Even though the contrary would have been obvious to a blind man.

They had come across another ship in their travels, one that Tetra knew to have a dangerous reputation. They were pirates to the fullest extent of the word: cruel, greedy, and _murderous_. She had desired to put them in their place, to show that everyone had their limits, but it hadn't quite played out that way. Actually, as he thought back, everything had fallen apart the moment they had boarded the other ship.

The enemy had obviously been better equipped to handle a fight, and they had outnumbered her crew two to one. Regardless, she had thrown herself into the middle of them, and her men had loyally followed. Even as he joined behind them, he had seen how deep in over her head she was. But her stubbornness had blinded her. These pirates had meant business, and they made it quite clear within seconds.

Thankfully, none of the men had been killed, though Zuko had come dangerously close; had Gonzo not reacted quickly enough and saved him, he wouldn't have come back at all. The rest had their fair sure of bruises and scrapes, but nothing that wouldn't be gone in a week. Zuko would need a bit more rest than that, but he would be fine, too.

But it had been an embarrassing retreat, as well as a tense getaway while the enemy had briefly pursued. Tetra had disappeared to her cabin without a word after confirming that her crew was okay enough to be on their own. Hesitantly, Link had followed her. It was as if she couldn't tell that she was in far worse condition than any of them.

As he cleaned up her face, he frowned with concern over how deep some of the cuts went. She had been beaten, quite badly. She never once gave in though, picking herself up every time she was thrown down. She likely would have done it until death, until he had stepped in and pulled her out. His skill had vastly improved over his journey, and he had fought three of them off with ease with Tetra barely hanging on to his shoulders. Nevertheless, her pride had taken a pretty harsh beating.

"Ow, damn it," she spoke through clenched teeth, pulling away from him and rubbing her cheek. "Look, I'm fine! I don't need all this! Zuko's worse-" He cut her off by gently placing a hand on her lips. He placed the cream back on her cheek and resumed rubbing.

"No, he's not. He was just pinned down, but Gonzo got to him." He shook his head as he moved down to her neck. "You took it a lot worse. Look at yourself! You're bleeding all over!" It was true; she had cuts all over her arms and legs, with cloths roughly tied over them to hold the blood until he could get to them.

"They were screwing with you, Tetra. They just wanted to see how much pain you could take before you finally gave up," he continued, trying not to hurt her as she flinched again. She snorted, eyes dark.

"I wouldn't have given up. Never," she muttered angrily. "Someone had to teach them a lesson! They go around doing what they're doing because no one's strong enough to stop them!"

"Not even you," he added, and her face fell. "Don't the lives of your crew matter to you?"

She looked at him as is she had been slapped. "How can you say that? Of course they do! I fought to get them out of there-"

"_I_ fought to get them out," he corrected. "You couldn't fight at all at that point. I was worried you were going to bleed out before I could even get you back. Tetra, they followed you because they trust you. Even if you're leading them into danger." She studied his face, her bitter eyes meeting his concerned ones. "You have to think about them, too. You're a leader, remember? Their needs are more important than your attempts of revenge."

She was silent, her face blank. He wasn't sure what she was going to do. History dictated that she was going to yell at him, or kick him out of her room. He hoped not – she needed his help. But she was motionless, her glazed eyes showing only deep thought. He sighed, waiting for the words.

Instead, she crawled further onto her bed and leaned against the wall, bringing her knees up to her chest. He blinked, not sure what to make of it. She didn't do this very often; it was only when she was deeply upset that she would try and close herself off. Which meant that his words must have really hit her.

His thought was confirmed by the way her eyes began to water. In an instant, he was at her side, pulling her into a hug as she rested her head on his shoulder. She took a few shaky breaths, trying as hard as she could to not let a tear fall. She hated being like this. But it was moments like these, and like her reckless tactics, that she exposed the fact that she was still just a kid. Just like him.

"You're right," she said after a moment, wiping her eyes. "I almost got them killed, and it would've been all my fault." She took a deep breath to try and calm herself down, realizing only now how much she had worried him over her safety. "I'm sorry, Link. I didn't even realize…" she trailed off before she could finish, wiping her eyes once more. Link said nothing, only dropping his hand to rub her shoulder.

Immediately, she cried out and recoiled, her hand flying up to where his had been only a moment before. He frowned and looked at her, trying to figure out what had happened. Then his eyes dropped down to her arm, where he hadn't noticed the blood staining the blue fabric of her vest.

Carefully lifting up the short sleeve, his eyes widened at the gash on her shoulder. It was the deepest cut he'd seen on her, and it didn't seem to show a sign of clotting. He quickly grabbed a spare rag and covered it, applying as much pressure as he could to slow the bleeding. Her eyes were down on her lap as she struggled not to make a noise.

"An arrow caught me as it went by," she spoke finally, her voice soft and with a hint of guilt. "I didn't think it was that bad." He sighed as he reached for a new cloth. This was going to be considerably more difficult to take care of. But he wasn't going to give up. He would make her better, so she could get back out there and make it up to her men. She always felt the need to protect them. The problem was, she didn't let anyone protect her.

Maybe this was the lesson she needed to open her eyes to the consequences of her actions. She couldn't lead her crew into suicidal missions, and she had to learn when to call it quits. Otherwise, none of them would be lasting much longer. He closed his eyes as he reached for the cream. It hurt him that it had needed to be such a painful lesson, but if it got the point across, maybe it was for the best.

She seemed to be thinking along the same lines. As he began applying the cream, she looked at him and, taking a deep breath, whispered softly, "I'm sorry."

He paused and nodded, unspoken forgiveness evident in his eyes. "I know."


	9. Snow

_God, Wind Waker… It has to be the most expressive game I've ever played. Where else can you get such a range of facial expressions that come off so easily? The attention to detail just makes me want to rant like a fanboy to those ignorant of it. I just… I love this game more than any other, 'nuff said. Remaking it in HD? Hell. Yes._

_Anyway. Happy to announce that, so far, I'm having lots of fun with this. Now it's time for something a little more lighthearted after the last chapter. Dare I say fluff? I'll let you decide._

* * *

**Snow**

It was odd, finding an island covered in snow. On the warm ocean, it just seemed out of place. Then again, they _had_ been travelling northward for a few days now. She supposed it wasn't too foreign, considering the noticeable drop in temperature the further they went. It was just… odd.

In all fairness, there wasn't much snow to be found on any charted island in the archipelago they called home, so comparison was a little bleak. Nevertheless, she and Link found themselves walking around on it, just to check it out. It was cooler than either of them had expected; Link had begun to shiver in his thin tunic, and even she was trying her best not to display any sign of discomfort. But they had already begun forging a path inland, so she figured that they may as well continue.

She looked around, taking in the sight. There was a frozen beauty to the place. The few trees offered no movement in the breeze, held in place by the layers of snow and ice that permeated their branches. The sunlight reflected frost that littered the ground, offering a dazzling light show that they walked across. It was a very pretty scene, she had to admit.

"This place is so peaceful," she commented, gazing at the trees. There wasn't a sound to be heard anywhere. It was as if the island itself was trying to sleep. Only the crunching of ice beneath their boots broke the tranquility.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice," he agreed. "I mean, there's nothing to do, or even look at beyond blinding white, but I guess it's okay." She rolled her eyes while trying to suppress a grin. Leave it to Link to find something captivating and boring at the same time. His adventuring had certainly changed him; he was so used to action now that he was almost bored when away from it. She hadn't decided whether that was a positive or negative point, but he didn't seem to mind it. She supposed that probably meant positive.

"Well, I think it's nice here," she replied, a hint of mock pain in her voice. She heard him snort in return.

"That's not like you," came his voice from behind. She frowned, glancing back. She hadn't noticed him slow down. She ignored it; he had probably just found something interesting to look at.

"Well, I guess you should consider yourself lucky that I can be honest with-" she was cut off by something cold hitting her in the back of the head. She spun around, only to see Link wearing a sheepish grin with flakes of snow on his hands. She stared at him for a moment before he shrugged, still smiling.

She narrowed her eyes, and his face fell into once of worry. Bending down, she grabbed a handful of snow and carefully shaped it into something resembling a ball. Then she slowly began walking towards him, tossing the ball lightly.

Link began to slowly step backwards, holding his hands up in defense. "Okay, before you say anything, I was aiming for your-" He trailed off as her snowball hit him straight in the face. Coughing and sputtering, he wiped it off before grabbing more snow in return. Though his face was red from the cold, he couldn't hide his competitive smile. "Alright then. If that's how it's going to be…"

She grinned, another ball ready in her hands. That was exactly how it was going to be.


	10. Coffee

_It's funny how the best things can come from just sitting and talking. Or, occasionally, saying nothing at all._

* * *

**Coffee**

She sat at the small table quietly, drumming her fingers against the polished wood. She glanced over at Link, who was buying coffees for them. For whatever reason, they seemed to meet up in Windfall a lot, whether planned or by coincidence. At one point one of them had suggested visiting the café, and it had sort of become a catching-up tradition since.

She watched him pay the woman and carry their drinks over to the table. Honestly, she thought with a sigh as he tucked his wallet away, she didn't know how he managed it. In his travels, he was finding ludicrous amounts of treasure, almost rivaling her own income. Unlike her though, he sent the majority back to his grandmother, keeping only small amounts for himself. He backed this by saying that he had no need for money when he was off on his heroics, but she never argued him. It was a noble thing to do. It was something she would've considered herself, had she had any family to take care of. Maybe _that's_ why she gave the boys such large shares.

She took her beverage with a soft 'thanks', sipping it and glancing around. They were the only ones occupying the place at the moment; the café was rarely busy in the day, which was one of the reasons they came. She rather liked quiet places to retreat to, compared to the loudness of battle she constantly found herself in. Link, too, had come to adopt a similar way of thinking, finding it relaxing when they had the opportunity to do so.

They drank in silence, simply enjoying the moment. She had come to enjoy these little outings with him. She wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but she took pleasure in having someone her age to spend time with. They could discuss things she wouldn't have dared mention to her crew, and related to situations that adults simply wouldn't.

A few months ago, she wouldn't have even considered getting involved with someone that wasn't one of her men, least of all a boy with no life experience. But she couldn't admit that now, even if she wanted to. She hadn't realized what having a confidant could do, but it had given her an outlet instead of having her bury her feelings and issues. It took some of the stress off when she could share insecurities and worries with someone who would genuinely listen – someone who actually cared. A true friend, rather than just a loyal crew member. Something she had needed for a long time.

She realized that she had been staring into her coffee. She looked up and saw him staring expectantly at her, brow raised. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked what you were thinking about so intensely," he answered. "You were out of it. Must've been something pretty big."

She hesitated, looking deep into his eyes. That was just how he was: honest, patient, and always willing to help. She was quite lucky to have him, and was thankful that she did. She could never put it into words, but it was there nonetheless. She gave a small smile and shook her head. "It's nothing."


	11. Skin

_I really can't decide when this takes place… Maybe mid-WWish? I dunno. Mm, let's say that, just for giggles. I'm not sure what I think of this one either. Ah well, I guess they can't all be gold. But still, be sure to let me know what you think of dis story! 'Cause it makes me happy! And hell, if you have an idea, don't hesitate to toss it out. I only have about forty other ideas (no lie) right now._

* * *

**Skin**

Like he often did when he had nothing to do, he found himself wandering around on the deck of the ship. Everyone else was busy with chores that needed to be done, but no one had vocalized the need for help like he had hoped. They were relatively mundane tasks, so there wouldn't have been much for him to do anyway; what he had really been hoping for was some company. As much as the King of Red Lions talked with him when he was out on a mission, he was bound to being a boat. So when he was left behind during a dungeon trek, Link was on his own.

He didn't really care for it, which was one of the reasons he made an effort to visit Tetra so often. She never minded his company, whether she was busy or not. Often, he just talked about whatever harrowing task he had most recently completed while she nodded and offered a few 'uh-huh's while working over her maps. But they didn't mind – it was still time spent together, and that was what was important.

Now, though, she was busy helping out Mako and Niko with some chests full of their most recent plunder. All she had mentioned was that they'd pulled it up from some sunken ship not too far from Dragon Roost. He had no doubt he'd be hearing the full story later on, but he looked forward to it. She told great stories, after all – she could spin words like no one else he knew.

So, for the time being, he was content to hang out at the stern with Gonzo while the latter manned the wheel. He leaned against the railing, taking in the spray of the salty water as the ship cut through the waves. There was a soft breeze that played with his bangs, and he absentmindedly brushed them under his hat. With nothing else to look at, he decided to watch the others finish their task.

As Tetra sorted through the loot, the hilt of her dagger caught the light of the sun and momentarily blinded him. She seemed to notice, for she tucked it under her vest with a smirk before returning to her task. Blinking the glare out of his eyes, he resumed his watching, tracing his eyes over the captain. She had quite the unusual look for someone who led a group of pillaging men. Most would adorn themselves with the precious metals they had swindled, but not her. In fact, the only jewellery she wore was a necklace hidden under her shirt. He had noticed a couple of times, but she always made sure to conceal it.

No, instead she wore an assortment of clothing, a collection of vivacious colours that complemented each other. Her red scarf cheerfully contrasted her deep blue vest, which was accented by her bright blonde hair that was only a few shades off from his own. She topped it off with white pants and wristbands, which stood out vibrantly against the colours and her dark skin. Her dark, smooth, flawless skin…

He blinked. Had he been staring? And daydreaming about her skin? He _could_ admit that it was a nice shade, especially when held up against his fair colour. But hers had been darkened by the sun after being in direct light for weeks, months, years on end. He doubted it would ever change back now; it was permanently tinted after all her time on the ocean. Not that he minded, of course; in his opinion, her skin was beautiful, and it was certainly unique – no one had skin as tanned as hers. And it was always warm to the touch…

Okay, again? What was he doing? Skin wasn't _that_ infatuating, it was just skin! He shook his head and got up, turning away from her. Somehow she was distracting him, and he didn't like it. Maybe it was just heat of the sun, or the stress of his quest, but either way he didn't want it happening. Think about something else. Think about-

"Hey!" came her voice, and he spun around. She was waving at him, with the wink and smirk she usually wore. "Get down here, I have a story to tell. Someone's going to hear it, so hurry up!"

He nodded and made his way down to her. It was probably nothing to worry about. She had nice skin, end of story. There was no reason to go on and on about it. She had a feature that he liked, probably because he'd never seen it before. No big deal. Really, it didn't help when it was added with such soft, amazing-looking hair…

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He'd been around talking boats for too long.


	12. Flag

_Ha! Going into the final week of school! …And then I go out student teaching. :( _

_Apparently I have a typing disability today. By which I mean, "Wrote a paragraph, proofread it, and recognized nothing". One of those days…_

* * *

**Flag**

"Do I need a new flag?"

The question came out of nowhere, and he froze, not sure if he'd heard right. Had she said a new flag? Why, on the Great Sea, was she worrying over a flag? Weren't there more pressing matters for her to deal with right now?

"Link. I asked you a question." He sighed, pushing away the plate of food he had been picking at. Glancing across the table at her, he saw her eyeing him with a serious look. That probably meant she wasn't joking, which was a shame; the question likely would've sounded less silly than it did now.

"Why do you ask?" he inquired slowly. She shrugged, continuing to eat as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Because I want your opinion, that's why," she spoke after a moment, wiping her mouth as she did. "I mean, I love mine and all, but it's a little tattered and ripped. Wouldn't it be better to put on a fresh flag?"

He blinked. He couldn't believe he was having a serious conversation with her over _flags_. He had to be hallucinating. Maybe the food was bad? That seemed possible. "I dunno. Aren't pirates supposed to like tattered flags? Doesn't it show how much action they've seen?"

"Well, yeah. But a new flag would look so cool! Don't you think?"

He didn't answer, no words describing the level of his confusion coming to mind. This wasn't like her. Tetra didn't go on about aesthetics; she went on about action and profit. Caring about how her ship would look with a new flag was so outside her character that he found himself wondering if she had a fever. He couldn't even be sure she'd buy a new flag if she ever _lost_ the current one, never mind comparing visuals.

Her ship notwithstanding, her dagger was her only real possession. Her room consisted of functional furniture – a bed, a dresser, a desk – and a picture of her mother, but otherwise it was quite plain. It was not the room of a teenage girl – rather, one of someone who was prepared to lose everything at a given moment. It was her blade that she truly cared about, and the fact that she rarely took it off her person showed.

So the fact that she was asking about a new flag baffled him. Material objects had no meaning to her because in the life she led, they could disappear in an instant. She even stowed away her share of treasure elsewhere, rather than spend it on weapons or books like her men did. It just didn't add up; he may as well start asking her if he looked good in summer dresses if they were going to change everything they knew about each other.

"Well? How long are you going to stare at the wall? What do you think?" she interrupted, breaking his thoughts. He still didn't know what to say, so he simply shrugged. "Okay, why do I ask for your opinion? You're useless."

"Tetra…" he began, trying to place the words carefully, "and please be honest with me here: are you just truly sick right now? Or is this a really stupid joke?"

She stared at him, eyes narrowing. He faced away, ready for the yell. But instead her look of scorn deteriorated to a snort, and soon she was laughing as hard as she could, her head resting flat against the table. He frowned and crossed his arms. That ordeal had _not_ been worth the stress to his brain.

"Do you… understand…" she wheezed between gasps of air, "how serious… you look? You look so… adorably lost!" Another fit of giggling took hold, and she buried her face in her hands.

He rolled his eyes. Of course she had been joking, why had he even considered the possibility of anything else? It was a poor joke, but she was obviously in a good mood today. "Are you that desperate to laugh at me?"

"Nah," she replied with a wink, wiping tears from her eyes. "I just like seeing your face contorted with confusion. Makes me smile."

He sighed, rubbing his temples wearily. Sometimes he just wasn't sure how they were friends.


	13. Greeting

_You know that feeling when one of your exams gets pushed back a couple weeks? Oh, you don't? Well, trust me, it's pretty friggin' awesome._

_So… probably one of their earlier moments._

* * *

**Greeting**

Her brow furrowed as she strode out onto the deck. It was going to be one of _those_ mornings, she could already tell. The kinds of mornings when she woke up in a bad mood, and it reflected against the rest of the day. The kind where her crew just _knew_ not to piss her off, or heads would roll. She glanced up at the sky and sighed. The sun was bright, but there were no clouds to attempt to shade it. On top of that, there wasn't even much of a breeze right now. Just friggin' _wonderful._

For whatever reason, she hadn't a clue, she was a pretty bipolar person when it came to the subject of her mood. Some days she woke up and felt like she owned the world, and could accomplish anything. Other days she woke up wanting to burn everything that stood simply because it tried to exist when she was angry. She didn't know the cause, but she had come to accept it without reservation. And, quickly enough, so had her crew.

Her thoughts drifted to the boy in green down below. If he tried anything, _anything _at all, to annoy her today, he might not live to see the sun set. Part of her tried to resist the thought, that it wasn't fair to him. After all, he hadn't worked around her enough to know of her violent mood swings, so how could he have a chance? Even so, stubbornness shoved logic aside, as it occasionally did. She hoped for his sake that he just didn't screw up.

Said boy walked up onto the deck at that moment. Her eyes narrowed when she saw him, already wary of anything he might do that would set her off. No jokes today, no slacking off, and no being happy around her. If she wanted to be miserable and cross, then everyone could just damn well let her.

He noticed her standing off near the railing and smiled. It was such an innocent, sincere smile that she froze, captivated. He was so… happy. Really, he seemed as happy as she was on her good mornings. Was that how it radiated off of her as well? No wonder her boys were always bright and cheery when she was like that.

"Good morning!"

They were such simple, basic words; they could have been said by two strangers passing each other on their way. But he spoke them in such a way that said he felt joyous inside. As if he was positive it was going to be a spectacular morning. She didn't know anyone could come off that way.

To her surprise, she felt her bitter mood softening the longer she stared at his face. It was impossible to feel anything else but the look that shone from his smile. He wanted the world to be happy with him, and she found her spirits lifting to the point where a small smile curved onto her own lips as well. He grinned wider and headed off towards the bow.

She found her eyes wandering to him as he walked. Maybe it didn't have to be one of those mornings after all.


	14. Clouds

_No point to this one, really, but I don't think they all need a point. Either way, just a little drabble tonight._

* * *

**Clouds**

He sighed in contentment, letting the peacefulness of the day relax him. A distance away, he could hear the bustle of town life as the people of Windfall went about their business. It was just another day to them, but to him it was a break from travelling all over the ocean and trying to save their unknowing lives. Being a hero wasn't an easy task; it demanded focus and endless commitment. But the King of Red Lions had decided that he deserved a day off every now and then, usually after he finished a dungeon crawl or something big. After all, he _was_ still just a kid. He needed time to himself every now and then.

His usual plan was to find Tetra; after all, his other friends were half an ocean away, while she generally wasn't too hard to pin down. It helped when he still had the stone she had given him before sending him into the Forsaken Fortress, and he could easily get a plan of where she was going. Besides, at this point in his life, Tetra was really the only one who could relate to what he did. So she was a good set of ears to listen to his tales.

Since she was again restocking in Windfall, he'd wandered up to the hillside to wait while she finished her business. He had found it a great place to simply lie down and stare at the clouds. It was a habit he'd begun when he was a little younger, spending hours on Outset's cliff watching the sky drift past. It was a good way to collect one's thoughts when there was serious thinking to be done, but more than that, it was very relaxing. He had lost count of how many times he'd fallen asleep doing this back home. It was just a simple way to pass the time.

"There you are," the all too familiar voice spoke from behind him. He smiled but said nothing, simply watching the large white clouds float lazily across the bright sun. Her head appeared in his vision, casting a dark shadow across his eyes. "What are you doing up here?"

"Clouds," he answered absentmindedly, staring past her. She raised a brow and glanced up at the sky herself.

"Why?"

He closed his eyes. "It's relaxing."

There was a moment of silence as she searched for a reply. The best she could come up with was, "If you say so."

He opened his eyes and watched her expression. She didn't get it – that was why she didn't understand. He had to show her what he meant. He grabbed her hand and gently pulled it down toward him. "Lie down with me."

She eyed him curiously. "Why?"

"Because I want you to see."

"They're clouds. I've seen clouds before."

He pulled a bit harder. "Just lay down. Please?"

She sighed and complied, taking a spot beside him and resting on her back. They were silent as they looked into the expanse of blue that was peppered with white. Eventually he heard her breathing slow to something that could be called a tranquil state. He wondered how often she actually did unwind and do nothing. He knew she did stay up some nights to have some alone time, but it wasn't the same as just taking a day to yourself.

"Why is this important to you?" she asked, breaking the silence. He shrugged as best he could, not sure how to explain it.

"I dunno. If there's something that being away on life-threatening missions has taught me, it's that you have to enjoy the little things. Otherwise the big things will just weigh you down."

She didn't answer, instead mulling over his words. It seemed that it hadn't been something she considered. "I guess sometimes I forget what it is you're going through," she spoke after a moment.

They fell back into silence as the clouds rolled on. He didn't want sympathy from her; she had probably dealt with more in her life than he had. He just wanted her to see that it was okay to stop and breathe every now and then. A break had never killed anyone – not yet, anyway. If she saw his reasoning though, he was content with that.

"Link?"

He turned to look at her. "Hmm?"

She smiled faintly at the sky. "This _is_ pretty relaxing."


	15. Secrets

_Time for a bit of development, I think. A bit of a peek into the minds of our heroes, to see what drives them to do what they do. Or something. Damn, I messed that up. Let's start over._

_Let's peek at our heroes in their private times! …Wait. Shit. Ah, whatever. You probably know what I mean. Ah, Tetra, more involved than you know. Before the Zelda reveal, obviously. Also takes place before 'Snow', 'Coffee' and 'Clouds' – Link's not a real fan of fighting yet._

* * *

**Secrets**

The sound of his knock echoed around the otherwise quiet ship. There was a moment of silence before her voice sounded, "Come in." He gently opened her door and stepped inside her room. His eyes wandered over to her desk, but to his surprise she wasn't there. Instead, she was sitting cross-legged on her bed, writing on a piece of paper. She continued for a moment before her eyes lifted to meet his. "Hey. What do you need?"

He shrugged, closing the door behind him. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to talk, if that's alright." She nodded and gestured to her desk chair. He grabbed it and pulled it toward the bed, taking a seat and resting a foot against the mattress. He searched for a means to say what he wanted while she waited patiently. How did he express it in a way she would understand?

"I've been doing some thinking lately," he began slowly. "The King of Red Lions is quite sure that I'm the hero destined to defeat Ganondorf. Everyone on the Great Sea is depending on me to save the world, even though they don't realize what I'm doing. But…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. "I dunno. Am I the hero?"

She closed her paper and tossed it aside; it was clear that this conversation would take a lot of focus. Turning herself to face him, she asked, "Why wouldn't you be?"

He sighed. "I don't know. It just seems like a lot to be expected of me, especially when I don't _feel_ like a hero. I just see myself as someone who got thrown into this to save someone close to him. I still feel like I'm only in this to save Aryll. After that…" He hesitated. This was the part he was afraid to voice. "After that, I'm not sure I want to be the hero."

She was silent. He wasn't sure how she'd react. Call him a coward, perhaps? Part of him wouldn't blame her, but he didn't want that to be the case. Thankfully, it wasn't.

"Frankly, I don't blame you," she said, and his eyes widened. She understood? "You're putting your life on the line to save the entire ocean from an evil that's more experienced that either of us can imagine. Why should you feel obligated to save these people? They don't even know what you're going through to do it." Her voice softened. "Maybe that's a little blunt, but it's the reality."

He nodded. It _did_ sound selfish, but he hadn't wanted this life. He'd been chosen for it, and now he had to keep going without a say. "I just… I don't understand why it had to be me," he continued, staring at her wall. "And, if it's as important as the King says it is, why I have to do it alone. I'm tired of almost getting killed every time I step into a dungeon."

"I don't think you're alone," she answered quietly. He blinked and looked at her, and she shrugged. "You have me, right? It sounds backwards coming from a pirate, I know, but I'll always lend you a hand. Whether you want it or not," she added with a wink, and he chuckled.

"I know what you mean though," she continued. I've thought about it too, believe it or not. It's a lot of pressure for one person. And you're still a kid, on top of it. You don't need that." She was silent for a moment, searching for something to say. "I guess that's why I want to help you," she finally spoke. "Since I've known you, and since it was partly my doing that you got thrown into this, I've wanted to see you succeed. In a way, I feel involved now too."

He lost himself in his thoughts. She _had_ always been beside him when he asked for it. She listened to him when he needed to vent, and lent him supplies when he was short. She had graciously given him bombs when he was seeking Jabun, though not without putting him through a bit of teasing grief first. She had always been there for him so far. He hoped that didn't change.

"You're right," he said finally. "I guess I'm not alone. You had no obligation to help me, but you did anyway. I really appreciate it." He looked straight into her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Tetra."

She waved her hand. "Don't worry about it. You're going through some heavy stuff right now. _I_ don't expect you to do it by yourself. I'm here for you whenever you need."

He smiled. "You're a true friend, you know that?"

He noticed her face flush slightly, and she turned away. She likely wasn't used to hearing something like that. It was true, though. "I know you don't really share secrets, but I'm here to listen to you too, if you need."

She nodded, still facing away. "I know."

They sat in silence for a moment. He glanced around her room, nothing striking his eye until he came to rest on the portrait of her mother. A thought rose to his lips – one that had often crossed his mind before. "Can I ask you something personal?"

She looked at him quickly, studying him with a look he couldn't decipher. After a moment she shrugged, the look being replaced with one of neutrality. "I guess we'll find out."

He took that as a decent confirmation. It was better than throwing something at him, anyway. "You took over this ship after your mother died, right?" Her eyes flashed in surprised anger. He added quickly, "Nudge told me when I first came aboard."

She rolled her eyes, but remained silent. He proceeded as cautiously as he could. She was protective of her past, and he didn't want to upset her. "Why did you take over? Why not leave it to Gonzo or someone?" She frowned and turned away. He decided to add, "And why are you still one today?"

She didn't say a word, and he wondered if he'd dug too deep. Maybe he should leave. But part of him was genuinely curious to know. She _never _mentioned anything from her childhood, or her parentage. The most she'd done was acknowledged to him that the picture that bore a resemblance was in fact her mother. Other than that, she was silent on the topic. He wanted to know why.

"Why do you care?" she asked finally. Well, at least she didn't sound angry. She didn't sound _happy_, but it was better than getting yelled at.

"You don't really talk about your past," he said. "None of the others really say much either. But I feel like you know a lot more about me than I do of you."

She hesitated before saying anything, trying to collect her thoughts. "That's probably true," she told him. "I don't know. I just don't like talking about it."

"You don't have to," he replied quickly. "I just thought… Since we were discussing secrets, maybe you'd share one. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's fine," she said quietly. "I guess fair's fair. You trust me enough to talk to me about something private, and I _did _just say I'd always be here for you. I should've expected the same from you." She sighed, glancing at the ceiling.

"It's okay," he said, holding his hands up and standing. "I feel bad for asking now. Don't worry about it."

"Sit down." He complied without a word.

"I'm just not used to sharing about myself," she spoke. "I don't really do secrets. They always seemed childish to me."

"So? Friends are supposed to share secrets. It's a sign of trust." She glanced at him, raising a brow. He feigned a frown and batted his eyes, trying to lighten the mood for her. "You trust me, don't you?"

She snorted and turned away. "Of course I do," she answered. He raised his eyebrows hopefully, and she sighed again. "Alright, fine," she agreed, rolling her eyes while trying not to smile. She was silent for a moment, and he sat patiently. It was sort of exciting, actually, that she was opening up to him.

"I've lived on this ship all my life. I'd known the crew for years. So after my mother died when I was eleven, they offered me the position to replace her while they taught me the basics. They kept me out of the fighting for a while, but my mother had trained me pretty well. Eventually I just started falling into the position. I gave an order, they listened. They said it was like having her back in command." She glanced away, blinking quickly. "It made me feel happy, that they thought I was as good as she had been. She was the best, after all." She fell into silence once more.

"I guess if you'd been around it all your life, it would come naturally to you," he said in understanding. "But how come you still do it? Isn't there something else you'd like to do?"

She shrugged, still facing the wall. "This is what I know. I don't know what else I'd do. I could never settle into a normal job like normal people. Not now."

That was also understandable. But there was still something that intrigued him. "You're a pretty odd pirate though. You claim to be vicious, but I've never seen you kill an innocent person. You don't steal from the weak, or the sick, or the old. In fact, I've seen you protect civilians from a raid. You've done a lot of noble things for a pirate." He shook his head. "And you help me, the supposed chosen hero. That all sounds pretty heroic itself, don't you think?"

She was still, not answering. It was almost as if she didn't know what to say. Perhaps she didn't, as after a moment she replied, "I guess I just have a strong sense of fairness. The strong should protect the weak." She shot him a look and added, "Don't go spreading that around. I still want to be able to steal from who I want."

He shook his head, but the corners of his mouth pulled up into a smile. "I'm just saying, you'd make a pretty good hero if you ever wanted to."

She seemed to consider it before shrugging. "Maybe. One day down the road, if I ever get bored."

He smiled wider. "I mean, I could use a partner out there. And since you basically are already…"

She laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "Shut up. Don't put ideas in the civvies' heads. They won't take me seriously."

He laughed as well, which furthered her own. After a moment, they were both giggling without control, clutching their sides in pain. Trying to calm himself down, he took a deep breath and said, "See? It's healthy to share."

She shook her head and took a breath as well. "Whatever, you just wanted some alone time with me. Just stop worrying about the future. We'll get through it together."

"Alright," he agreed, "if you stop burying everything. Share with me once in a while, huh? You're not alone either."

She nodded, holding out her hand. He took it, and they shook, both smiling. "Deal."


	16. Battle

_Studying, studying, can't write 'cause I'm studying… That's a tune. Sing it as one. But yeah, quick break for an update. This feels rushed to me, for obvious reasons. But if it's decent, then you're welcome! Takes place after 'Secrets'._

* * *

**Battle**

It was becoming increasingly evident that pirates didn't really get along with each other on the ocean. Based on Tetra's mentioning of the "third fight this month," Link came to that conclusion rather quickly. Their foe had come up behind them out of nowhere, and a boarding had been inevitable. However, the captain hadn't so much as flinched; in fact, she had simply prepped her men with a small smirk. He had been unsure what it meant, but it became clear as soon as the enemy was upon them.

The crew had met them head-on, and swords rang all over the deck. Tetra herself had jumped into the middle of the action, attacking the opposing captain with an aggressive offense. He had watched in surprise as the mayhem unfolded. The men were actually enjoying themselves, shouting compliments to each other and wearing confident smiles. They were a much smaller crew than their opponent, but they held their own with ease. Tetra seemed the most involved; even in the middle of her own fight she called out orders to her men to help each other. It was spectacular to observe, really. They all seemed to live for fighting like this.

That was all until a pirate had targeted him, and he had found himself involved in the fray. Which is where he was now, beating back a vicious assault from his two foes. He had to say, he'd improved greatly since his first bout with Tetra; he could stand against two experienced opponents without too much trouble. His only issue was debating on how far to take it. Could he kill them? He wasn't used to fighting other people – it was a quite a stretch from monsters bred from dark magic. He wasn't sure whether this could be counted as the same sort of kill.

Glancing at Tetra, he noticed that she held no such reservation. Every attack was aimed to take down her foe. No doubt she felt no hesitation when the lives of her crew were on the line. But she'd had a different experience with fighting than he had. He only had a couple months' practice and killed only when his life was threatened. Which tended to be everywhere he went, but that was the philosophy he tried to hang on to.

The men as well fought with the intention of dropping the pirates. They looked out for each other, and protection in battle often meant death for the opposition. It was a gritty reality, but the reality nonetheless. Or so he thought until an idea struck him. Maybe it didn't have to be.

He flicked his wrist and stabbed one of the pirates in his sword arm. As he yelled and dropped his weapon, Link ducked under the other's counterattack and delivered a cut to his leg, deep enough only to incapacitate. The pirate dropped to the ground and he stepped back, raising his weapon defensively. It was a worthless gesture, though; the rest of the crew had already given up and were retreating. Tetra stood aside and let them run, only glaring until they all disappeared. He glanced around quickly but came across no bodies, secretly thankful that he didn't have to see a dead pirate today.

He understood the need to take a life – sometimes it was inevitable. But for the time being, it was a thought he just couldn't entertain. Besides, he'd managed to get through the fight without needing to resort to it, and it had worked. For now, he'd try incapacitation on human foes and see if it was effective. If there ever came a time when it wasn't… Well, maybe his views would have hardened enough to not care. If that was reality, then so be it.

He walked towards the men who were congratulating each other on their repulsion. It was obvious that he could get some serious fighting experience from travelling with them and Tetra. But he had his own journey to take, with lives of his own to protect. And as he sheathed his sword, he realized that he had discovered his reason to fight: to protect the people of the ocean who could not defend themselves. As Tetra had told him, "The strong should protect the weak." Even if he owed them nothing, he had a responsibility to fight for them, and for the peace they desired.

He smiled softly as she approached him. Maybe he could do this 'hero' thing yet.


	17. Training

_Ugh, exam? Why do you have to be at 9:00 in the morning? On a Saturday? You're mean, exam._

_So yeah. Pretty tired after a long day (and night) of studying, being up early to exam…inate (ha), and then more studying. So this is what it is. Which feels like a cop-out, but I hope it doesn't come off that way. Takes place… I dunno, some time after 'Battle'._

* * *

**Training**

"Coming at you!" he yelled, raising his sword overhead. She gritted her teeth and raised her own, their weapons clanging together in atonal harmony. She shouldered him back and took a swipe at his chest, but he flipped back out of range. He took a step forward with the intention to stab, but she sidestepped around the point of the blade and delivered a strong punch to his wrist. He cried out in pain and stepped back.

"We're punching now?" he inquired with a frown, gently massaging the joint. She simply shrugged in reply.

"I'm keeping you sharp," she answered with a wink. "Really, you should be thanking me."

He scoffed. "Keeping me sharp… I've been holding back, but if we're going to play dirty, then that changes now." He gripped his sword tightly and lunged at her, deflecting her counterattack and delivering a kick to the back of her knee. Her eyes widened in shock as she loudly fell to the deck, her weapon clattering away. He smirked and held out his hand to help her up, but instead she kicked it away and flipped back to her feet, cartwheeling to her weapon. He blinked in surprise, but it was expected – she had kept it a closely guarded secret of how agile she was. After all, one couldn't reveal all their tricks right off the get-go.

They met once more, going back and forth, spinning and grunting all over the deck. Link had vastly improved over his encounters, and was quickly gaining on the captain in terms of skill. Since they were much more even now, they made an effort of training together to keep them both in shape. Practicing on the ship had the added benefit of a rocking terrain, which forced them to keep on their toes. So far, it was proving quite beneficial.

Of course, they were still trying to work out a few kinks. The main issue was that Tetra became competitive when she was in a contest. It was quickly becoming apparent that Link was developing a similar streak, which led to often escalated confrontations that had utterly ridiculous consequences. Their last bout had ended when the captain had attempted to shoot Link with a cannon, while he had whipped out his Wind Waker to summon a tornado. It took Senza and Mako, who had been observing their duel, to intervene before anyone was seriously hurt.

They were both aware that things had gotten out of hand, and were embarrassed at their actions. Nevertheless, they were back at it as if nothing had happened, an unspoken apology in the minds of both. There was also, however, no promise of it not happening again. Youthful pride had taken over, and showed no signs of letting go.

She ducked under a swing and managed to pin his sword under hers. However, he spun around and delivered a kick to her chest. She rolled with it out of the way, but lost her advantage. Picking herself up, she stepped in close and drove her fist into his stomach, holding back nothing. He wheezed and fell to the deck, clutching his abdomen. She lowered her weapon in concern, wondering if she'd gone too far. But he cut off her train of thought, lashing out and knocking out her feet from under her. She fell roughly on her back, and they remained motionless for a moment, staring into each other's eyes and panting.

"You're getting better," she admitted. She was secretly annoyed at herself for letting her guard down; it was such a rudimentary mistake, one that she _never _did. And that he had taken advantage of it was almost cheap – pirate cheap. Despite herself, she was proud of him.

"I'm just starting to play like you," he replied with a smirk. "You and your 'anything goes' rule of fighting. It's all unpredictable when you aren't expecting things like punches to wrists and spitting in faces."

She tilted her head with a quick wink. "Pirate, my friend."

"Well, I'm done with this back and forth," he replied, picking himself up. He stretched out his neck and shook out his shoulders before grabbing his shield off of his back. She frowned. He was adopting a much more forward strategy now – he could effectively block anything she tried. At least, the way she was fighting now.

She stood up as well and drew her dagger off of her hip, dropping it into her non-dominant hand. She always preferred her dagger in a fight – it was more comfortable than a regular sword, in her opinion. Dual-wielding it as a shorter parrying weapon was preferable to using a shield; it allowed for more control, and could also be used offensively. It was a skill she had honed for years, and since it wasn't widely practiced on the ocean, it often caught her opponents off-guard. She had a cache of cutlasses below deck for unexpected boarding raids, and she often used them against Link for a straight, fair one-on-one. But even the hero knew that when she drew the small blade, she meant business.

"You sure you're ready for this?" she asked as a warning. He could still walk away, though she knew he wouldn't. As expected, he nodded and raised his shield, quickly advancing on her. She jumped to the side and delivered an upward swipe at his arm. He turned quickly and blocked, her blades rattling uselessly against his shield. He grinned and raised his sword to bring down on her head, but she raised her own blades and parried the offense between them. Taking the brunt of the force against her dagger, she knocked his weapon down while simultaneously chopping with her sword, only to be blocked once more by the shield.

She gritted her teeth and jumped away. She hated that stupid shield of his; it made trying to land a hit almost impossible. He saw her annoyance and laughed, waving his defense at her as a taunt. "What's the matter, Miss Pirate? Am I not playing fair?"

His eyes widened in horror as she lunged at him, blades raised overhead and eyes burning with fury. They continued their stalemate while their voices rose louder, with the language being used slipping into what would have been considered less than tolerable in a public location. The attacks became crazier, and their emotional control was quickly vanishing.

Down below, the men all glanced above their heads in concern. By the sounds of it, it was beginning to escalate again.


	18. Princess

_I think I'd forgotten what a day off feels like. I'm not really sure what to do with my spare time. I'd write more if I wasn't so brain-dead today, but oh well._

_A bit of a different view than what people consider on Tetra's transformation. I dunno, I just never saw her being too thrilled with the change._

* * *

**Princess**

Hyrule. Ganondorf. _Princess._

They were all words the man claiming to be a king kept saying, but they meant nothing to her. They were all part of the kingdom that was currently sitting at the bottom of the sea. The very kingdom that, somehow, they were occupying at the moment. It was supposed to be gone, forgotten over the generations to erase its mistakes from history. But everything had resurfaced, and she wasn't happy about it.

First, the King had gotten Link involved, stating him to be the new hero of legend. Fat lot of good that did, being a possible descendant of the hero that protected this lost land. The Great Sea was not Hyrule, and it hadn't needed a hero. If the King and Ganondorf had just left them alone, life would have gone on better for everyone. Now, though, everyone was in danger, and it was up to poor Link to save them all.

Second, this apparent ancestor of hers was claiming that she was just as involved as Link was. So now she was helping not because she wanted to, but because she didn't have a _choice_. She was beginning to really understand how the boy had felt when he first gotten involved. It almost felt to her like there was less incentive to help when you were told to do so.

She glanced down once more at the clothes that now covered her. A long dress, and _pink¸ _no less – it was as if this man was just trying to insult her. Her hair was longer somehow, and hung down her back. Likewise, her skin was very fair, a far stretch from what she felt comfortable seeing on herself. She was adorned with jewellery and makeup, which was something she tended to avoid. And what was this stupid mark that had appeared on her hand? She felt bogged down by all of this useless weight; she couldn't win a fight now if her life depended on it. However, that appeared to be the point.

The King had said that she was to remain here, "for her own protection". She had snorted in disgust – like she couldn't protect herself? He was asking her to behave like a princess, which was something she was not willing to do. Princesses just sat around and did what they were told. They were useless that way; she was used to doing things herself. She wasn't afraid of getting her hands dirty, she was Tetra! Or was she? The King called her 'Zelda'. Was that who she was now? Princess Zelda, the girl who did nothing?

Being told what to do was something she was not used to. Restricting her freedom was even more aggravating, especially since it was in this tiny basement. What was she supposed to do down here, stare at the windows? She was supposed to be helping Link because he needed her. She couldn't do that down here by herself, cut off from the world she knew. Why was her protection suddenly so important? The King was keeping something from them, but refused to speak about the matter.

The man spoke to Link, telling him not to be long before disappearing. Her thoughts interrupted, she simply stared at the boy across from her. He seemed unsure of what to think of her now. Perhaps he didn't like the change either; she sure didn't seem like herself. But she couldn't change that. She had to sit here and stay out of trouble, wearing these prissy clothes and being a respectable royal member. For all the good it did.

Link began to walk to the stairs, set on finishing his quest. But she couldn't let him leave yet. "Link." He turned to her, wearing a look of both curiosity and concern. She picked up her dagger off of the floor and walked towards him, pressing it into his hands. "Take care of this for me, 'kay?" she asked quietly. He hesitantly nodded, studying the weapon in her hands. If she was stuck here, she might as well give him something that might save him. It was really all she could do now. She gave him a quick hug and he awkwardly responded, surprised by the action. "Good luck," she mumbled. "Don't take too long, alright?"

He nodded with a faint smile and turned away. A moment later he disappeared, and she was alone. Glancing around in the darkness, she sighed.

_Princess. _She hated it.


	19. Blanket

_Middle of April, right? Should be spring, right? I'm not crazy, right? Then why is there MORE GODDAMN SNOW?!_

_*ahem* Takes place not too long after Wind Waker. Partly inspired by the cold weather._

* * *

**Blanket**

She tried not to shiver in the evening air that blew coolly over her exposed skin. Why were they sailing north? The only thing north was colder weather. Then again, it had been her order, so she had no one to blame but herself. Which wouldn't have bothered her, but for the fact that it was her reason for the decision that escaped her. It was as if she was trying to run away from the events that had taken place on Ganon's Tower. She knew it was ridiculous, but it's almost how she felt now.

She shivered again and brought her knees chest as she sat on the deck. Staring out at the dark, starry water, she contemplated the King's fate. She hadn't really approved of his decisions, and he certainly hadn't needed to throw her life out of order, but had he really needed to die? Was it his way of atoning for his mistakes? Her thoughts bordered on similar thinking for the King of Evil as well, though they were rather more conflicted. Ganondorf had attempted to reintroduce Hyrule to the world, but his reasoning held a sympathetic vibe to it. His actions _had_ been with malicious intention, but did he deserve death for them? They were both a carryover from an age that had long since disappeared. Finding their way in this new world simply hadn't happened. And now they were both dead in their forgotten kingdom.

She sighed as she rubbed her arms for warmth, her thoughts turning to the King's final wish. They were to seek out a new land for the populace of the ocean to reside. It hadn't been enough that they'd defeated the Dark Lord and prevented his takeover; they now had to undertake a massive journey to find a land big enough to accommodate the ocean's residents. Had it not occurred to the man that flooding his kingdom may have left such a large landmass nonexistent? In addition, had they not earned a vacation from their fights?

She was jarred from her muse by the feeling of something soft encompassing her shoulders. She looked up to find Link wrapping a blanket around her with a smile. She blinked in confusion before mumbling a 'thanks' and turning back to the ocean. He took a seat beside her and did the same.

"You looked cold," he spoke softly without looking at her. Regrettably, she nodded. She hated showing discomfort from weather, but she _had_ been getting a bit of a chill from staying out here. But she wanted some air, and had no intention of remaining locked in her cabin. She'd done enough of that since returning from Hyrule, and she was beginning to feel trapped with her thoughts in there.

"What are you thinking about?" she heard him ask, and cursed herself for not paying attention to him. She shrugged and wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, embracing its warmth.

"Just what happened," she replied. She knew she had no need to elaborate – he would know exactly what she was referring to. She continued with a sigh, "I just can't quit thinking about what he asked us to do. I feel…" She trailed off, searching for the words.

"What, obligated? Annoyed?" he offered, and she nodded.

"Both, yeah. I mean, he decided to die down there, so I feel we _should_ respect his final wish, as much as I disagreed with him. But on the other hand, hasn't he asked enough of us already? We did what he wanted us to do. Hyrule's gone forever, and so are he and Ganondorf. But he couldn't just leave it at that." She snorted in annoyance.

"I mean, really! 'Go find a new Hyrule'? Where on the Great Sea are we supposed to find a landmass that wasn't flooded? The whole reason we live on islands is because that's all there is. And even if we somehow find something, hundreds of thousands of miles away, how are we supposed to convince everyone to listen to us _and _get them all there? It's not possible!"

He nodded, which surprised her. He agreed with her thinking? "I've been thinking the same, actually. But the way I see it is that we've gone through a lot with all of this. He didn't say we had to find this new land right away. I say we take a break for a while." She stared at him and he shrugged. "For as long as we need. We'll go off to who-knows-where when we feel like it."

"Can we afford that?" she found herself asking. "I thought this was a top priority. And I thought that, if anyone, you would be all over it."

"Well, it's not like anyone else knows about it," he replied with a shrug, "so it isn't like anyone can get mad at us for putting it off. We have our entire lives to find the new Hyrule, right? But we've done enough for a while, I think anyone would agree. So we're going to wait a while, and worry about it later." He glanced at her and raised his eyebrows. "What do you think?"

She thought about it a moment before replying, "I like it. I don't really want to take off anywhere right now anyway. A break sounds nice, and totally earned. I say we do it." He smiled and nodded in agreement. Maybe it was simpler than how she'd made it out to be. They would figure it out later; for now, they would relax and reclaim their lives.

She noticed him shiver, though he tried to pretend that he hadn't. Rolling her eyes with a smile, she opened her arm and gestured for him to join her. He chuckled and scooted closer to her, and she wrapped the blanket around him as well. They sat in silence, enjoying the warmth of the cloth and, though neither would acknowledge it, each other. The thought of a chance for things to go back to the way they were before getting involved with Hyrule's fate, even for just a little while, gave her the comfort she had been seeking for the last few days. She also hoped that he decided to stick around; she couldn't imagine parting with him now, after everything they'd done together.

It was getting late, and she knew that they probably should have been turning in to get some rest. But she had no desire to leave right now, and it seemed like he had no intention of it either. So they sat together, watching the water and letting the stillness of the night wash over them. They had a rare moment of peace, and she was content to enjoy it for as long as it lasted.


	20. Sick

_This was an idea I've wanted to do since I started, but feel that it's appropriate to fit in now. This is some time after Wind Waker, but not yet Phantom Hourglass. I'd say they're both fifteen here._

* * *

**Sick**

She probably had no idea how much she worried him, and knowing her, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Even so, if she was on the deck an hour past sunset attempting to give orders for sailing, he should probably be worried. She couldn't be joking; she didn't kid about giving orders, so her crew always knew that she meant everything she said. Which meant that, for some reason, she genuinely believed what she was saying. He sighed. The crew were all giving him looks of concern, so he took it upon himself to figure out what she was trying to accomplish.

He approached her carefully, as she had begun yelling that no one was listening to her. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder, he asked gently, "Tetra?" She turned to him and immediately he knew she wasn't well. Her eyes were unfocused and her body was trembling. Up close, she appeared to be barely keeping herself up, swaying softly back and forth. He frowned and held his hand up to her forehead while she attempted to pull away.

"Tetra, you're burning up," he said after a moment, surprised at her fever. She had seemed fine all day, but it was clear that she was ill. "You need to lie down. Let's go."

"No," she protested softly, trying to protest. "We need to get ready to sail! We have to find the island! We're losing time!" He stared at her, trying to make out what it was she was talking about. Whatever it was, it was something that existed only in her head; she had never once mentioned an island for any reason. The only thing he understood was that her slight slur simply verified her condition.

"Let's go," he spoke delicately, grabbing her hand and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We need to get you into bed." She shook her head, but still allowed him to guide her across the deck. She began leaning against him more, unable to walk on her own. He wrapped her arm around him and half-carried her down below deck.

"Link, we need to get the treasure before the others," she spoke softly, though she seemed to be fighting to stay awake. He shook his head as they walked into her room. He had never known her to be so delirious – she didn't seem to be making sense of anything. Would reason even mean anything to her?

"It's too dark to do anything," he answered, sitting her down on her bed. As he bent down to remove her shoes, he added, "We'll do it in the morning, I promise." Normally he didn't make promises he didn't intend to keep, but she seemed too feverish to even remember. She would need a couple days to recover, at least until her fever broke. He'd likely be keeping a close eye on her until then.

Throwing her shoes aside, he pulled back her blanket and helped her crawl underneath. "Okay, just try and get some rest, alright? I'll get you some water and check on you later." She nodded and pressed into her pillow, likely unaware of what he had just said. It didn't matter though – she was ready to pass out, and rest was what she needed.

He stood up and moved back to her door. He was about to leave when he heard a faint voice mumble, "Wait." He turned around to find her sitting up and blinking slowly at him. She still looked confused, but she stared intently and whispered, "Stay."

He blinked. She wanted him to stay with her? She couldn't be in her right mind at the moment, but she seemed completely serious. He shook his head and was about to object before she weakly added, "Please?"

His mouth hung open, but no sound escaped. She really wanted him here with her. He glanced at the door. He knew it wasn't a good idea. If someone found out, there would be no way of explaining himself, not with her in her fevered state. And what if she woke up in the morning not remembering, and took it the wrong way? It was simply a bad idea, and he knew he should protest.

But the look of helplessness on her face banished all other thoughts from his mind. He finally nodded and closed the door. She needed him right now, and she was begging him not to leave her alone. If it helped relax her, then he would do it for her. Besides, it would make it easier to make sure she was okay.

So he stayed.


	21. Depression

_Some angst today, because… I dunno. Wanted to mix it up, I suppose. Also takes place after Wind Waker._

* * *

**Depression**

He was hiding, though he wasn't entirely sure why. Curled into a corner in the cargo hold below deck, he buried his face into his hands, trying to forget his experience. It was really the first time he'd ever felt like he had failed as a hero. After Ganondorf's defeat, he had been sure he could take on any challenge that awaited him. Only… he couldn't.

"There you are," Tetra spoke softly as she approached. He closed his eyes, not wanting her to tell him to grow up, or that things happen, and to get back out into the world. But she didn't; instead, she simply sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

He stared ahead into nothing, letting his shoulders fall in a half-shrug. "Wasn't your fault. It was mine," he answered with a whisper, though she shook her head.

"You don't know that. They were cruel people, Link. I don't think they would have left without there being a few casualties."

"But it shouldn't have happened," he argued. "I should have been able to prevent it. I could have…" He trailed off, his words unsure. "I shouldn't… I didn't mean to kill him." She looked at him sadly before tightening her hold around him, pulling him into a sort of hug.

They had been in a town to gather supplies when bandits had appeared out of nowhere, quickly spreading everywhere to ransack houses and shops. Tetra had immediately jumped in to fight, and he had been right behind her, drawing his weapon and taking on three men at once. He had been so caught up in the action that he had struck one down instinctively, plunging his weapon deep into the man's chest before the same happened to him. But a witnessing comrade had grabbed a fleeing civilian and viciously sliced open his throat. The thug had only laughed and disappeared, leaving the man to die a slow, horrible death. While the thieves had fled as quickly as they had come, they had left half the town trashed, making off with countless valuables. Many people had been injured, but it was quickly assessed that the poor victim and another woman had been killed – the latter being witnessed by Tetra, he later found out.

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, trying to soothe him. "I think we did what we could," she said gently. "It would have been worse if we hadn't been there. Yeah, we lost two, but we could have lost a lot more."

"I know," he replied, "I just feel that… I feel like I caused it to happen. Because I killed first." He looked at her with pleading eyes. He wanted her to understand. "I didn't mean it though. I just lost myself in the moment and experience took over." She nodded and grabbed his hand, squeezing gently.

"I understand, Link. Believe me, I had every intention of killing the ones I fought. There were just too many for me to try." She looked into his eyes and continued, "You can't blame that poor man's death on yourself. That one you got? Who knows how many more he would have killed himself, had he gotten away today? Long term, you could have done some good, getting rid of him."

Shrugging, she added, "You don't know what may have happened if you had acted differently, so there's no point dwelling on 'ifs'. What happened is past. If you regret it, then it'll just take some time to accept. Or, you can believe what you did was right and worthwhile, and get past it. Either way, you'll learn from it."

She leaned onto his shoulder once more. He was silent, carefully weighing her words. She was right, as usual; she always knew what to logically explain when he felt stuck. But he wasn't sure if this was something he could just shrug off. It had been a blow to his confidence, as well as his morality – no one had ever died under his watch. Either way he looked at it, that fact would take getting used to. He had to live with it now, but was it noble or shaming?

"I don't know," he whispered, leaning against her head and closing his eyes. "I just don't know if it was the right thing to do."

She squeezed his hand in response and whispered back, "Then I'll sit here with you until you do."

He felt miserable, unsure, and upset. But despite that, he managed a small smile and laced his fingers with hers. "Thank you."


	22. Catapult

_Being done exams has never felt so glorious. And it'll never again feel so short-lived, but I'm okay with that. Today's chapter is… something, having to do with… uh… Y'know, I don't even know where this came from. It's just something silly, one of those stupid arguments you get into with your best friend over something so trivial it shouldn't ever warrant a fight. Y'know, one of those. The problem with these two is that they just like to argue._

* * *

**Catapult**

"Look, all I'm saying is that it took them about eight rocks to finally hit the bird," he argued. "It was kind of a big bird. It shouldn't have been that difficult."

"Yeah, a big bird that was flying through the sky," she retorted hotly. "The bloody _sky,_ Link. There isn't much to aim at against a sky. Not to mention that the beast was over your little island. I think your townsfolk would appreciate the fact that my men weren't trying to crush them all."

"Yes, and they managed to drop you into a forest crawling with monsters instead of _anywhere_ safer on the island. Truly skillful of them."

"Excuse me, but I'd rather be dropped into a forest than anywhere on the vast ocean where I would've drowned. I was unconscious!"

They had been carrying on with this for so long that neither even remembered how it had begun. All they cared about now was proving to the other that their points were right… whatever their points happened to be. He wasn't even sure how he'd gotten on to attacking her crew, but his pride prevented him from backing down now. Maybe she'd see his side and agree, though he doubted this as a legitimate possibility – she was the most stubborn person on the ocean.

"How hard it is to shoot a rock?" he asked skeptically. "You aim, it flings. Boom! Done."

"Alright then, smartass," she shot back, "the catapult's right there! Go try it out!"

"Fine!" he replied, tossing his hands in the air. Truthfully, he had no idea what he was trying to prove. But he didn't back out of a challenge from her. Secretly, competing with her in any form was immensely enjoyable. He had never had anyone his age to hang around with, so she provided all sorts of fun. And he took it however he could.

He strolled over to the bow, where a rock was already loaded and waiting in the catapult. Noticing a small island they were currently sailing past, he spun the contraption around and took aim, pretending to look like he knew what he was doing. Drawing his sword, he glanced at a taut rope and asked, "Alright, so I just cut this, right?"

"What? No! Don't cut-" she was broken off as his blade cleanly sliced the rope in two. With a terrible lurch, the arm swung forward at a crooked angle and shot the boulder. Both were frozen as they watched it sail toward the island only to collide with a thin tree. The trunk snapped loudly in half as the top was flung comically into the ocean while the rock settled against the base of the remaining bottom.

They were silent for a moment, both marvelling at the spectacle. Eventually she turned to him with a flat expression. "Congrats, Link. You just ruined part of my catapult. And you took down a tree."

He rolled his eyes in annoyance before countering, "And I did it in one shot. I'll take that point and make it one-nothing."

"You weren't even aiming for the tree! You literally screwed up every _possible_ thing and coincidentally hit an innocent plant!"

"Better than the seven nothings your men hit! The bird was four times the size of that tree!"

"They were trying not to hit _me_, you clod! _You_ just crushed an immovable object, and you're comparing the two? You also owe me a new rope! There was a goddamn switch _right_ by your hand!"

Gonzo sighed, trying to steer the ship while drowning out the petty argument across the ship. Knowing the two of them, this could go on for a couple hours more. He just hoped that they pushed each other overboard by then so he could steer in peace.

He smiled at the thought as they sailed on while the voices escalated. A man could dream.


	23. Fire

_It's amazing what revelations I've gained from staring into a fire during summer nights. There's something lively while simultaneously calm about the way it dances in the darkness, smoke softly drifting off to mingle with the stars._

* * *

**Fire**

Drawing her arms around herself, she huddled closer to the flames for warmth. Her men were always content with cards or dice or whatever else captured their attention, remaining safely in the protection of the ship. But she preferred to be around nature when she could, to walk barefoot in the soft grass and smell the intricate aromas that permeated the air. They were simply more pleasing to her than candlelit gambling. She had assumed that her emerald-clad friend would share similar feelings; however, she had not yet seen him outside.

In the failing daylight, they had come across a small island abundant with fresh fruits. They had eagerly dropped anchor and collected enough for a couple days' worth of treats. By the time they had finished their task the sun had well since disappeared, and they'd elected to remain stationary for the night. The men had retreated back to the ship, but she had remained to survey the scenery. Deciding to stay out to enjoy the air, she had found some materials lying around and quickly built a small fire for herself, as well as utilizing a fallen tree as a seat.

She couldn't tell how long she had sat here, watching the light waltz back and forth with the ever-creeping shadows, but she had anticipated company by now. She had not seen a glimpse of the hero since they had arrived, and was beginning to grow concerned. It was unusual behavior for him.

She was considering returning to check on him, to make sure he hadn't fallen ill when she noticed his shadowy figure appear on the deck across the beach. Watching him make his way over, she noticed subtle differences about his appearance. Namely, the fatigue in his eyes and lack of a hat.

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me," she spoke when he was near, raising a questioning brow. He smiled sheepishly and took a seat beside her. She noticed that he was _marginally _closer to her than he could've normally been, considering the long tree they were seated upon. She pushed the thought away though, blaming it on her own growing weariness.

"I think I fell asleep," he answered with a weak laugh. She rolled her eyes. So much for worrying over him.

"How were you tired enough to fall asleep? What have you done today?" she asked skeptically. She hadn't seen much of him throughout the day, but what could he have possibly been doing that would warrant an evening nap?

"I spent most of the day training down below deck," he answered, stretching his arm. "I have to keep sharp, even when you're busy." Oh. That would probably do it. Her eyes turned back to the fire, choosing not to admit her lack of foresight.

He gazed into the flames as well, letting the crackle of the spitting heat dampen the silence. A question flitted through her mind, though she hesitated to ask it. She was nervous about the answer she would receive, but her desire to know eventually brought it to her lips. "Why are you still here?"

He glanced at her with a look of confusion, not understanding what she asked. Trying a bit more specification, she asked again, "Why are you still with us?"

He was silent for a moment, mulling over her words before shrugging. "I don't know. Where else should I be?"

"I'm not sure where you _should_ be," she proceeded cautiously, "but I figured you would have other plans since Ganondorf's dead. You have time to visit people, or do some other heroic acts. I thought you'd be doing something else, not just sticking around with us the whole time." She didn't want to sound like she didn't want him with her. Truthfully, she enjoyed his company more than anyone could tell. But he _was_ a famous hero now, after all. Didn't he have other engagements to occupy his time?

"I'm sure I'll get around to it," he replied after a moment. "But right now, I'm content with being here. I mean, you haven't told me to leave, so I assume I'm still welcome," he added with a chuckle, and she felt her lips curve into a smile as well.

"Okay, I won't say I'm unhappy," she confirmed. "But is there someplace _you _want to go? I've just been taking us to a few treasure hotspots, but I've been wondering if you're comfortable with that. There isn't much action like you're used to."

He shook his head. "There doesn't need to be. I'm fine wherever we go. Just as long as I get to stick around with you, I'm pretty content." He smiled warmly at her, and unconsciously moved closer so that they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Link?"

"Hmm?"

"You're getting kind of close," she said with a playful wink. His eyes widened and he scooted away, face glowing with embarrassment.

"Sorry, I didn't even realize-"

"Come back," she told him, and he stared, mouth hanging open mid-apology. "You're warm. I like it."

Slowly, words began to form in his mouth, tripping out into a sentence. "Are… You're… Are you cold?"

"Kind of," she admitted. "It's not like I'm dressed for cool nights. So get back over here, you were warming me up."

Awkwardly, he slid back beside her, his torso resting softly against her own. She smiled in contentment, and eventually felt him loosen a bit as well. They sat in silence, watching the flames jump and shooting sparks to the sides.

"And you don't tell a bloody _soul_, got it?"

He nodded quickly. "Got it."

She smiled satisfactorily. "Good."


	24. Reading

_Snow. Stop. Just… don't fall anymore. Every time some melts, you decide to drop more. Stop, snow._

_Something about the quality of the last chapter just didn't feel right. Maybe I'll go back and fix it later. I don't know… These past few chapters are sort of taking place along the same tangent – post-WW, they're older (fifteen) and closer than when they first met, etc.  
_

_There's something magical about listening to someone read out loud. It's like adding a whole new level of personal touch to a story, making it more real and easier to connect with. It's… special._

* * *

**Reading**

It was something he missed, he realized, once he had gone out on his life-changing adventure. Back on Outset, he often passed the time by reading stories from Sturgeon's collection. He would picture himself in the scenarios, getting so involved in his imaginings that he would neglect his chores for hours until he finished a book. There was something appealing to him about the way one could get lost in the words. Each story was a portal to a journey. And he was free to repeat them as often as he wished.

So when Tetra had mentioned a few books that she had in her cabin, he had eagerly asked if he could borrow one. After all, it had been close to a year since he had gotten caught up in a gripping novel, and he still enjoyed placing himself in the place of the protagonist. Having selected one, he had retreated to the darkness below deck for peace, quietly getting lost in the pages in the faint candlelight.

'_Taking her hand, he whispered, "I promise." They embraced as the ship sailed off to the horizon, content on drifting ever closer to the glow of the falling sun.' _He closed the book, sighing with a smile. That had been a good one – one of the best he'd read, perhaps. Adventure novels with a mix of romance never bothered him; in fact, they had to be his favourite genre to read. There was something exciting, if not a bit foreign, about them. He wondered if Tetra had ever read this book. He would love to talk about it.

"Link?" her voice carried through the darkness. "You down here?" Perfect timing. He called out his confirmation and she strolled over to him, arms crossed with a look of confusion written on her face. "What are you doing down here? I've been looking for you."

"Sorry," he replied. Maybe he should have mentioned his intentions to her. "I just wanted to read somewhere quiet. What did you need?"

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't important," she assured him with a wave of her hand. "What are you reading?"

He held up the novel for her to see in the dim light. "I just finished it, actually. It was really good."

She frowned, tilting her head. "I don't actually remember that book. You found that on my shelf?"

"Yeah," he told her, "sitting with the rest of them. Have you read it?"

She shook her head. "Reading was more my mother's hobby, not mine. I just never got rid of them. I guess I should have looked at them though, if I can't even remember half of them." She shrugged.

"So you haven't read _any_ of them?" he asked, appalled. "You don't know what you're missing!"

"That's not to say I haven't heard some of them," she answered. "My mother used to read to me, to put me to sleep at night. She was such a good storyteller. Occasionally she would even read to the crew because her reading was so enjoyable." She smiled faintly, clearly remembering something that had long since passed.

She turned her gaze to him after a moment, raising a brow. "Are you any good at storytelling?"

"I'm not really sure," he admitted. "I always just read to myself back home. My neighbor, Sue-Belle, used to read to Aryll, but they were always gentle stories – nothing I really got into. So I never actually had a reason to read out loud."

"Try," she told him, taking a seat beside him. "Read to me." He stared at her for a moment, unsure of whether he could do a decent job. But she nodded with a wink, so he smiled and opened the cover.

"'_It must have been luck, that he crossed paths with his destiny so early in life,'" _he began, "'_but it was the opportunity he had been waiting for as long as he could remember. He knew, in his heart, that he was not fated to remain a blacksmith. He had a grander calling, and now that it was before him he was all too eager to seize it. Too long he had heard stories from sailors about the news they brought across the oceans, wishing how he could see with his own eyes the wonders of the world. Now he was ready to take his first steps towards his own journey.'"_

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her close her eyes and rest her head back, letting his words spin forth the tale that remained encompassed between the covers. With a soft affirmation to continue, he carried on the blacksmith's quest with the excitement he had held inside when he first read the pages. He began to lose sense of the time, but it didn't matter. She was content to listen to him, and he had no desire to stop.

"'_She captivated him with her beauty as she strode by. It was not a walk of arrogance; rather, a careful, bashful step with which she carried herself. It was a look that danced in her eyes that he found himself drawn towards her. She noticed him, but simply smiled softly. It was a sincere smile, one he had never seen so dear, and it made his heart melt.'"_

She chuckled beside him, and he stopped, glancing at her. Shaking her head, she said, "Sorry. You just captured the attitude of a love-struck young man _really_ well. The thought made me laugh." He rolled his eyes, and she grinned. "Keep reading, you're making this really interesting," she told him, leaning against him to glance at the pages.

He smiled back and continued. In his mind, he was once again the protagonist, the young blacksmith ready to begin his life. But this time, instead of the quiet young maiden, he found himself acting across from the lively, sassy pirate that was sitting beside him.

He wondered briefly, with a small smile, if she envisioned the same.


	25. Storm

_Ugh, what a long day… Sorry if the quality isn't quite up to snuff, I've been up since 6:00 with only two hours of sleep. Just a short drabble tonight. Very brief reference to 'Swimming'._

* * *

**Storm**

A blinding flash shattered the black sky, quickly followed by an absolute deafening roar. Waves crashed across the ocean, thrown into an outrage from the wind whipping across the waters. The ship rocked uneasily back and forth, rain splashing harshly against the deck. The sails were furled and anchors dropped, making sure she didn't move in the conditions. Everyone was below deck, eating or sleeping to pass the time while the storm carried through. There wasn't much they could do at night anyway, so they simply waited.

Tetra had retreated to her cabin, while inviting Link to do the same. She sat at her desk pouring over her chart, attempting to replot their course while taking account of their potential drifting. He simply sat quietly on her bed, staring out the rain-lashed window. She began to notice him flinch every time thunder sounded and frowned. He didn't appear to care for storms.

She sighed and dropped her quill, tossing her compass into a drawer. She was getting nowhere anyway, so there was little point in continuing to try. Standing up, she made her way over to her bed and took a seat beside him. He didn't say a word, but continued to stare out the window. She followed his eyes and stared in silence as well.

Maybe he'd had a bad experience with storms, like she had. Or perhaps it was an irrational fear. Either way, she didn't ask. It wasn't important _why_ he was uncomfortable. Although, she thought, traversing a storm in that small dinghy of his would likely rake on anyone's resolve. Maybe that was the reason? Who knew.

Another flash ignited the window and he jumped in surprise. She caught a look in his eyes before he turned away, trying to ignore the crash that came shortly after. Was it embarrassment? Did he feel silly that she was seeing him like this over something so trivial? It didn't bother her – everyone had fears, after all. She simply wanted to help him, so she threw him a small smile when he again turned to the window.

At least he wasn't alone; he had her to be with. Hopefully her presence put him at ease like she intended. He still wasn't talking, but she wouldn't force a conversation. She was content with sitting in silence for as long as he was. He would talk when he was comfortable, when the weather had once again calmed down.

So they watched, and waited.


	26. Remember

_A little foreshadowing today – aren't I so original? Takes place after 'Storm' and 'Pain', not too long before Phantom Hourglass._

* * *

**Remember**

"Alright, boys! Keep your eyes peeled! I want to know the minute anyone sees something!" she was yelling across the deck as the crew acknowledged the orders. "Look for this fog everyone keeps talking about! And if it's those bastards from before…" she trailed off and gritted her teeth angrily. "There'll be hell to pay. Understood?"

A rounding chorus of 'Aye!' rang out, and he shook his head while watching the scene from the stern. The rumours of this cursed Ghost Ship were likely that – simply rumours meant to scare sailors on treacherous nights. He himself doubted the existence of such a ship, though not enough to completely disregard the possibility; he _had_ come across such a ghostly vessel on his travels, though that ship had not been 'cursed' in the sense that this one was spoken to be. Regardless, his worries at the moment were tied to the girl that was supposed to be recovering from their last battle.

Like him, she didn't entirely believe that there was a haunted ship patrolling these waters, but rather some troublemakers who were trying to have some fun. She fully intended to put a stop to it, but he was concerned about the possibility of the entire ordeal being more than she could handle. He had become a little protective of her since their encounter with the pirates that had viciously defeated them. Tetra did not appear fazed from the ordeal, but he knew that her scars ran deeper than the ones keeping her arm in a sling.

"Tetra," he called out to her, standing up from his perch. She seemed not to hear him, continuing with her orders without a second thought. "Tetra!"

"What?" she called back, her tone evident that he was distracting her. He jumped to the deck and walked to the railing, waiting for her to join her. After a moment she did, though she did not appear happy about it.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, concerned. "You should be taking it easy, not actively seeking out more trouble."

"I'm fine," she huffed. "I'm not going to be kept down by some stupid cuts on my arms. Stop worrying about me."

"There's more to it than a few cuts," he replied softly, eyes trailing to the shoulder that was heavily bandaged. She followed his eyes and covered it with her free hand, shaking her head.

"No, there isn't. Look, I've learned my lesson, alright? As much as I hate a loss, those stupid thugs _did_ teach me something. Just like you told me."

"And I'm happy for that," he said carefully, trying to think about how to proceed. "I'm just concerned about what you might do if it turns out to be them behind this fable."

"Link, relax. I wouldn't take them on again. Not yet, anyway. Besides, I don't think it's them this time. This is probably just a bunch of drunken morons who need to be slapped a couple times. And I'll be able to do as much soon," she assured him. "I swear, my arm's almost better."

He nodded. "Okay. I trust you, you know that. I just don't want you doing something reckless this time."

"Already thought of it," she answered. "I've told you, I _did _learn something from last time. When we come across the ship, I'm going to check it out myself. If I get into trouble, _then_ the boys join me. That way they aren't in immediate danger. You see?"

He stared at her. Was she serious? "Okay, remember when I just said I didn't want you doing something reckless? That's about as stupid as I could've imagined. _This_ is why you're worrying me."

"Link, it won't be that bad," she said determinedly. "Look, last time was a fluke. We've come out of danger plenty of times before I had even met you. It'll be fine." He still wasn't convinced, so she lifted his chin with her hand and looked straight into his eyes. "Trust me, okay? Please?"

He wanted to argue, to make her see that it was a bad idea, but his mouth remained shut. She seemed set with her plan, and nothing he could say would change that. And she _had_ survived this long without him watching over her all the time. She had put her faith in him when he was saving her life before. He knew he had to trust her now.

"Okay," he nodded slowly. "Just promise you'll be careful."

She offered him a quick smirk, though he saw the sincerity in her eyes. "I will. I promise."

With that, she turned away and addressed her crew once more. He simply watched her while mulling over his worries. He could only hope that this Ghost Ship turned out to be a harmless ruse. He wasn't sure he could live with himself if he let something happen to her again.


	27. Talk

_Counting down the days till I become a student teacher! I'm really excited to apply nothing of what I've spent the last year learning in a legitimate classroom setting! Yay for university! Pointlessly taking your money since who-gives-a-damn-'cause-we're-rich!_

_So, yeah. I don't know what this is or where it came from. Sometimes I like to just imagine conversations with no consequence. That's basically what this is. Plus I feel miserable right now and this helps me smile. I'm sorry if the quality seems spotty, but it's been a rough night.  
_

_Ashlee S. asked how many chapters I'm planning to do. My initial intention upon beginning this story was to hit one hundred chapters, which is pretty ambitious. Right now I have enough ideas to get past chapter fifty, so we'll just have to see what happens._

* * *

**Talk**

The sun had long since set on the oceanic world, yet there were still two that remained active in the slumbering darkness. He wasn't sure why they hadn't turned in yet; the rest of the crew had long since retired below deck to eat and sleep. But he and his companion had remained talking in the failing light, eventually taking their conversation up to the crow's nest to adopt a clearer view of the dotted sky. Their discussion was anything but important, yet neither had a desire to cease it in favour of food or rest. So they talked, ignoring the world that slipped into quiet around them.

"I love stars," she spoke to the infinite void, and he nodded his concurrence. "It's funny, hey? That's how we first got to know each other."

"Yeah," he agreed, remembering back to that night that seemed so long ago. "You were scaring me for most of that exchange. I kept thinking you'd throw me off of here."

"C'mon," she replied with a smirk, spreading her arms wide. "You know me now. Do you think I would ever throw someone off for any reason?"

He smiled and shook his head, but then added, "Unless you really wanted them dead."

She tapped her chin, considering his angle. "True… Then again, if I wanted someone dead, I'd impale them before I ever got the opportunity to throw them off of something. Sound like me?"

"Mm, touché," he laughed. "I don't know, you were a pirate! How else was I supposed to react?"

"You thought _I_ was scary?" she asked in a mock hurt tone. "I'm just a young, pretty girl! I'm supposed to entrance a young boy!"

"Well, you did at first," he admitted. "Y'know, when you fell from the sky. That was pretty entrancing."

She smacked him loudly as he burst into laughter. "You suck," she told him, fighting the smile that rose to her lips.

"At least I'm honest," he countered, rubbing his sore chest. "What if I lied all the time? Some people do that; I'm pretty sure that those disgusting pirates do."

"Some of them," she nodded in agreement. "I guess _you're_ lucky that I'm honest with you too. We can say we have an honest relationship!"

"We can?"

She sniggered. "More like dysfunctional."

They fell into a chorus of laughter that echoed all around them. It was a good feeling, to just sit and laugh like nothing else mattered.

And really, it didn't. They had no obligations or tasks to be completed right now. They were free to do whatever they wished for as long as they wanted. And after the whole ordeal with the legendary kingdom, they intended to take advantage of that for as long as they could.

"Oh, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a while," he said as the laughter died down. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm tanned all over," she said, and his face flushed a slight pink.

"Uh, no, that wasn't- Wait, you are? How does that work?"

"Think about it," she said flatly. When his eyebrows rose in surprise she winked and added, "You know how much time I spend up here. What do you think I do?"

He blinked. Were they actually talking about this? "Are… Are you being serious right now?"

She snorted. "Of course not! …Or am I? Guess you won't know." She broke into a grin and turned to face the sky. He rolled his eyes and continued on.

"Anyway, you had a picture of the Hero of Time in your cabin." She glanced at him in surprise. It was obvious she wasn't expecting something like that.

"How did you know who he was?"

"Well, I heard enough about him from the King. And Ganondorf. And pretty much every spirit I happened to meet," he said with an exasperated sigh. "But there was a statue of him in Hyrule Castle. I didn't put the pieces together until later on, but eventually I realized that you knew about him. How? And why?"

She shrugged. "I don't know about _why_, but my mother knew all about his legend. She told me bits and pieces over the years that I was eventually able to put together. I don't know if it was coincidence or because she was part of the royal bloodline – or even if it _was_ her that was – but she told me that it never hurt to know."

"I see," he responded. "I sort of wondered. You had no idea you were a princess but you seemed to know a decent chunk about Hyrule's history."

"Yep. Guess it came in handy after all," she agreed before yawning. "Ugh, it's getting late. I need to get some sleep. You coming?"

"No, I'll stay up for a bit yet," he said, glancing up at the sky. "I mean, I like stars, right?"

"Almost in a creepy way," she added with a roll of her eyes. Heading to the ladder, she said, "Alright, don't be up too late. 'Night."

"Goodnight," he smiled as she disappeared. Facing back to the sky, he placed his hands behind his head and sighed. Interactions like this were so simple, and really meant nothing. But they were also special, and their friendship made all of their ordeals worth it.


	28. Disaster

_This one takes place sometime during mid-Wind Waker. The song played is simply the Ballad of Gales backwards. I just made it up; don't try analyzing the technical aspects of a fictional magic baton._

* * *

**Disaster**

They had a new destination that was, problematically, upwind. However, the hero had by chance paid her a visit, so they could easily step around that issue. She smiled to herself as her crew prepped the ship around her. It was beneficial, having a friend who could manipulate the wind. And apparently the sun. She had been trying to figure that one out ever since he had told her.

"Alright, I think the ship's ready," said the boy as he approached her. She nodded in satisfaction and watched as he pulled out the legendary baton. She still didn't trust its power, but knew that he had been nothing but responsible with it. Well, he hadn't blown up an island or anything, so that was good enough for her.

He closed his eyes and raised the wand, until-

"'Hoy, Link! Where did you put those spare ropes?"

His eyes shot open and he sighed. "I threw them in the hold," he mumbled. Placing the baton in her hands, he ran below deck, calling back, "Just do it! You know how!"

She shrugged and glanced at the baton. She had conducted the wind song, once, and it had completely surprised her. But now that she knew how it worked, she prepared herself and thought back to his lesson, all those months ago. She just had to…

Wait, how did it go? She gritted her teeth in frustration. How many times had she watched him conduct it, and she couldn't remember now? It began up, and then one way, then the other… or something. And was that it, or was there more? She narrowed her eyes. Whatever, it couldn't be hard to figure out.

She moved her arm into position and began conducting. It was up, left, right… down?

A blinding flash of lightning cut through the blue sky, and her eyes flew up in concern. Dark grey clouds covered the heavens in an alarming fashion, bringing down heavy rain and fierce winds. The lightning returned with several more bolts flicking across the expanse, thunder sounding continuously as its echo. She spun around wildly and looked out at the water, which was quickly building waves of treacherous heights.

She shoved her already-soaked bangs out of her eyes and could only listen to the yells of her crew as the swiftness of the storm overtook them. She stared at the Wind Waker in her hands. _This stupid thing has the power to do something like this? All I did was wave my arms around!_

In a moment Link was by her side, keeping his hand before his face to protect it from the harsh rain. "What happened?" he yelled above the wind, and she could only shake her head.

"I dunno! I did it wrong, I guess! What did I do?" she called back. He shrugged, at a loss.

"I've never done this before! What did you play?"

"CYCLONE!"

They both spun around at the call and looked out over the railing. Indeed, a cyclone was forming and whipping across the ocean, sending a flood of water in every direction. Further away, it appeared that a second wasn't too far behind.

"We have to get out of here!" she heard him yell, and felt his hand take the baton. Wiping her eyes, she missed whatever he did next, but she heard the ethereal choir singing over the howling winds. Before she could say anything, a cyclone bigger than the one they had seen enveloped them from above and lifted the entire ship into the air. She screamed as she fell to the deck, gripping the boy's legs desperately.

When she next opened her eyes, she saw clear blue sky above her, and the men were getting to their feet, having fallen as well. She picked herself up and glanced around. There was no sign of a storm in any direction. For that matter, there was _nothing_ in any direction. Not an island, not a boat… Not so much as a cloud in the sky.

"Where are we?" she asked, turning to Link. He simply shrugged in response.

"I warped us out of the storm," he told her, "but I didn't think of a location to put us. I have no idea where we ended up."

"Good job," she said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. "Get us somewhere familiar then."

"Not until I figure out what you did," came his reply, and she noticed his voice sounded slightly crisp. "If you don't mind me saying, this was your fault, not mine."

"You're right," she said quickly, narrowing her eyes at him. "It's my fault I played something I couldn't remember because it isn't my _job_ to. Why didn't you do it before you left? Would've been smarter, Mr. Hero."

"Excuse me for assuming you could remember a few movements. Based on how you have most of a sea chart memorized, I _assumed_ that waving your arms would be easy. But that was obviously too much to be expected."

"My chart is important," she muttered angrily. "Unlike your stupid wand."

He was about to reply, but instead took a deep breath to calm himself. "Whatever, it isn't important right now. What did you play?"

"I don't know, I don't remember!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "I just moved my hands like I thought you did!"

"You had both hands up?" he asked, holding his arms in front of him to demonstrate. She squinted, trying to remember.

"No, I think my other hand was just by my side. Why did it need to be up?"

"The position of both hands dictates the effect of the song," he answered. "And I have no idea what else can be done with this thing. I only stick to the songs that I'm taught. Experimenting, like _that,_ terrifies me."

"Wait a _damn_ minute! It matters where the _other_ hand is too? How does that bloody work?!" she yelled. That was a detail she had never noticed about his executions. He had held up both hands every time? She couldn't say – she was far too angry right now. Angry at herself for such a catastrophic failure, but more so at him right now for bringing it up.

How could he tolerate such an artifact that could have such negative ramifications from such a slight inaccuracy? If she was in his position, she'd have snapped it in half long ago. He had told her that it was used initially by kings, but now it was in the hands of a teenage boy. It was just too much power for someone, especially if they were careless.

But Link wasn't careless. She had first doubted his ability to control its power, but he hadn't had a disaster with it. It was _her _that was too irresponsible to use it, not him. She had screwed up and taken them way off course. If he hadn't fixed her mistake, something much worse could have easily destroyed them. She sighed, dropping her eyes to the deck.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean it. I just didn't think that was even possible."

He sighed as well and nodded. "I know. Neither did I."


	29. Hair

_Driving all day wears you out. It also inspires you to write something cute. Or go to bed early, so count yourselves lucky that I like you so much._

* * *

**Hair**

He enjoyed a strong wind – after all, he was a sailor, and depended on it for travel. But some days he could easily do without the choppy waters it occasionally brought. And based on the way the ship was tipping and turning today, he was really hoping it would die down soon.

Of course, they just _had_ to be sailing across the waves, so water would frequently hit the ship and splash up onto the deck, cascading onto whoever was unlucky enough to get caught under it. So far that had been Zuko, Nudge, and, three times now, himself. Wringing out his hat out once more, he sighed and tucked it into his pocket. It just wasn't worth the effort right now. Not when it was going to get wet again in a few minutes.

"How goes it, boys?" Tetra's voice rang out, and he turned to find her. She was walking onto the deck and glancing out over the railing at the water, riding the rocking as if it wasn't present. Of course she wouldn't be fazed by it; she had practically grown up on this ship, and knew its movements better than anyone. He had to admire that about her: no matter what the situation, she always appeared collected and ready. Even if it was something as simple as keeping one's balance.

He began to head over to her, ready to make a comment about her aversion to the water that was relentlessly hunting him, when a rather large wave crashed up against the ship, drenching the girl in seawater. He stopped dead, fighting a laugh that came to his lips when he saw the expression on her face. It appeared that he was wrong; even the steady captain got wet now and then.

"Ugh, damn it!" she cried in disgust, shaking water from her face. "Stupid weather. Why did I bother trying to fix my hair today?"

He smiled sympathetically as he approached her, noting the matted mess that her styled bun had become. A secret that she had once confided to him was that there were actually four clips that held it in place. He hadn't believed it, thinking there should have to be more. But after she had pointed them out, he'd had no choice but to accept it. She reached behind her head and began removing these, rolling her eyes as she did.

"I guess I should've expected it," she admitted. Glancing over him, she added with a smirk, "Looks like you got a pretty good soaking too."

"Y'know, just a couple times," he replied with a laugh. "At least the sun dries you quickly enough."

"Tell that to my hair," she countered, and they laughed. "It'll be soaked for the afternoon."

She removed the final clip and ran her fingers through her tangled hair, letting it fall down her back. He watched with amusement, but began to see her differently the longer he gazed. Without her hair up she didn't appear as Tetra. She seemed like, well, a girl. Not that she hadn't before, but this came off as very un-Tetra.

He had known her for the better part of a year now, but the only time he had seen her with her hair down was as Princess Zelda. Now, though, as the pirate he trusted, she looked… beautiful. It was a thought that didn't often enter his head, but he felt as if he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through her hair, letting it slip away and shower down her back. He knew from experience how soft it was, but he longed to touch it purposefully, to whisper the fact in her ear…

He blinked quickly, jarring himself from his daydream. Where had _that_ come from? She was still Tetra, just without her hair up. It happened to look good on her, that was all. There was no reason to see her differently because of it. Even though she ought to wear it down more often… Okay, he was making this too complicated.

He noticed her eyeing him oddly. "You alright? You just sort of went somewhere else for a minute," she said, brow raised. He nodded, trying to hide the flush of his face. The fact that she'd noticed made it even more embarrassing.

"I've just never seen you without your hair up," he admitted. Better to speak the truth. "It looks really good."

She blinked in surprise. After a moment of silence she chuckled. "Thanks. I usually wear it up because it's more practical. Doesn't get in the way then, right?" She shrugged. "But if you _really_ like it, maybe I should wear it down more often."

She shot him a wink and strolled away, continuing to run her fingers through her damp hair. He did nothing but watch her, allowing a smile to rise to his lips. That was something that _definitely_ needed to happen.


	30. Regret

_Wow, this is kind of late for an update, huh? Oh well, it still counts as today's update. So this chapter takes place around the beginning of Phantom Hourglass, and ties to 'Remember'. I had said foreshadowing before, right? Well... Aftermath.  
_

* * *

**Regret**

_This fairy had better be taking me somewhere useful. I swear to the Goddesses, if this little walk is a waste of my time, I'll…_

He snarled to himself, glancing at the fairy that was guiding him up the beach to wherever she knew help to be. She had been the one to find him washed up onto the shore and had immediately ordered him to follow her. He had explained that he couldn't, that he needed help finding the Ghost Ship, but hadn't a clue if she heard. So he'd had no choice but to follow, hoping that she knew what she was doing. Whatever that turned out to be, anyway.

He was furious, upset, and a range of other emotions he couldn't even identify right now. And it was entirely his fault. He had told her that he would protect her, that he would let nothing happen – not after what had already transpired. She had _just _recovered from her injuries! And now she was gone, he was who-knows-where, and this naïve fairy was trying to possibly help somehow. What was he doing?

If he was to believe the rumours, Tetra was already dead; the ship would have taken her life before he had even reached this island. But he couldn't just give up hope. If there was a chance, _any_ chance at all, that she was alive, he would fight his hardest to rescue her from her fate. That was what he promised her, and he refused to be called a liar twice.

She had jumped ship, as planned, once they came across the legendary boat. However, it had immediately pulled away with her on board; despite his best efforts to join her, he had fallen into the ocean before he could and quickly lost consciousness. When he awoke he was on an island he couldn't recognize, with a strange fairy hovering over him. She had mentioned the name 'Mercay', but he had never so much as heard the word before. He could only guess that he was hopelessly lost, made worse by the fact that he had no boat. By the sounds of it, not many here did.

He couldn't believe how badly his luck had turned. The Ghost Ship _was _real, it _was_ cursed, and it had vanished as quickly as it had appeared. His best and closest friend, assuming she lived, was potentially oceans away. And he was stuck on some stupid island with no boats, with a loudmouth fairy chattering away about things he couldn't care less about. How could this have happened? Was he that weak? He was the Hero of Winds!

Or he had been, anyway. He had left all of his equipment behind on the ship. He had no sword, no shield, and scarily, as he quickly checked his pockets, no Wind Waker. Without its power, he felt less of himself. Was he still the hero? Was his title now false? He was so confused. He needed help to organize his thoughts.

He sighed, sneaking another peek at the fairy leading the way. She had yet to mention a name, or even a destination. He just hoped that she knew what she was doing. He _had _to find Tetra. He wouldn't rest until she was back at his side, and they had put the Ghost Ship and this island far behind them. No matter what it took, he would rescue her.

_I promise, Tetra. I _will_ find you, no matter what. You'll be okay. I promise._


	31. Picture

_Goddamn it, internet. Stop cutting out on me when I'm trying to upload._

_Something a little happier today. I went back to Wind Waker and pretty much ran around, looking for ideas; this one came to me pretty quickly. It's between WW and PH._

* * *

**Picture**

He hadn't told her why, but he had dragged her to Windfall for what was apparently a secret. She had denied his request until he divulged the information, but he had stubbornly refused to budge on the matter. Eventually her curiosity had overwhelmed her and she charted a course for the island. He was excited, but still oddly quiet.

Now here he was, leading her up by the hand through the town with a grin on his face, letting her stew in her wonder. What was he so excited about? And why wouldn't he share? It wasn't difficult to do – just say the words and she'd feel better. But it had to be a surprise. Because?

"I don't want to give you a chance to say no," he said as they wove past Zunari's shop. She frowned. That usually meant one thing.

"So I'm going to hate it."

"No," he replied dismissively. "I'm just not giving it a chance to come up, that's all."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. And when are we getting there?"

"We already are," he answered with a grin, throwing open a door and gesturing for her to enter. She did so, taking a glance around. Everywhere she looked there were picto boxes and pictographs hanging from the walls. What was this? She'd never known about it before.

"This is Lenzo's shop," he explained, noticing her confusion. "He specializes in pictography."

"Okay…" she said slowly. "And we're here because…?"

He sighed. "You know how I've been keeping in touch with my grandmother, right?" She nodded, and he continued, "Well, I've mentioned you a few times, and she wants to meet you. But since that may not happen anytime soon, she at least wanted a picture of you. She assumes you're pretty and appreciates that you run your own 'business'. But she wants to be able to put a face to…" He trailed off, his cheeks turning pink.

She raised her brow expectantly. "Put a face to what?"

Looking at the wall, he answered, "Well, to 'my girlfriend'."

She rolled her eyes. Typical seniors and their relationship jokes. "Funny," she said dryly. "And you couldn't have mentioned that before actually arriving here?"

"I didn't know what you would say," he replied with a shrug. "Maybe you don't like getting your picture taken. I really have no idea."

She sighed. "If it's just for your grandmother, it's fine. What do I do, just stand here and look pretty?"

"You're always pretty," he said with a grin, the tinge not quite faded from his cheeks. "But yeah, just some sort of profile she can admire."

She brushed her bangs out of her face and stood tall as Lenzo approached with a picto box. There was a bright flash and he nodded satisfactorily. She breathed a sigh of relief, dropping her shoulders into a slouch. That had been quick, considering the length of time it had taken to get here.

"Hold on," she said quickly before Lenzo could get too far. "Why don't we get one together? We'll show her how much of a cute couple we make." She finished her sentence with a smirk and Link laughed, stepping into place beside her. Lenzo snapped another picture and smiled.

"No you don't," she muttered, throwing her arm around Link's neck before he walked away. "Get cozy, let's do a cuter one." He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but nonetheless slipped his hand around her hips, trying to keep his face from flushing. The room was illuminated once more.

"Ah, damn, I think I blinked. One more."

And so it went, both of them finding excuses to snap more and more pictures, in different poses and situations. By the end of their session she found herself laughing with joy. She couldn't believe how out of hand this had gotten, or how fun it could be.

Link seemed to share a similar thought as he approached Lenzo's desk with his wallet drawn, sorting out his money. "See? You're glad you came," he said with a chuckle, and she had to nod. "I just wonder what my grandma is going to think when she sees everything."

"Who said she's getting all of these?" she asked with a smirk. "She gets the first two. I'm keeping the rest."

He flashed a smile and turned back to Lenzo. "Can we get two of each?" he asked, and the man simply laughed before nodding. Pulling out more money, he shrugged and said, "If you get pictographs of us, then so do I."

She nodded her approval with a wink. Maybe it had been worth coming here after all. Not only had they had fun, they also had a memory that would preserve it forever. And as she gazed over the pictures later in her cabin, she realized that Lenzo had slipped in third copies of the two pictures for her, free of charge. She smiled to herself as she examined the shot of the two of them holding each other, knowing full well that she would be staring at it for a long time.


	32. Mannerisms

_Today's chapter is brought to you by 'Get off your ass and get a chapter started BEFORE 11:30'. Thank you, 'Get off your ass'. We couldn't do it without you._

_Another typical argument from our adorable duo. More so teasing this time around than actual fighting, so it's more a lighthearted story this time. I think it's a sign that they're maturing._

* * *

**Mannerisms**

She was watching his conversation with Mako intently, trying to mask a smile that relentlessly attempted to form on her lips. He had accidentally dropped a box full of tools that Mako had spent an hour organizing. The small man had confronted him about it, but he continued to proclaim his innocence, citing a rough wave as the cause of the issue. She had scoffed rather loudly at this, knowing full well that he heard. There was hardly a wind today, so he had a greater chance of flying before a wave strong enough to dislodge heavy boxes struck them.

Mako stormed off angrily, still not convinced but having no proof to convict the boy. He sighed loudly and walked over to where she sat perched against the wheel, staring out over the water. Plopping down beside her, he said crossly, "You weren't helping."

"I'm sorry, you thought I would?" she replied with a laugh. "It was far too much fun to watch you struggle through that. Besides, you _did_ screw up. You're on your own when that happens; don't expect any help from me when my boys confront you."

"Whatever," he said. "At least he bought it. Or at least bought enough to leave me alone."

"Good thing he didn't notice the obvious tick you had," she mumbled with a sly grin. He looked at her quickly, glaring at her statement.

"You rub your fingers together when you lie," she noted, still grinning. "That could kill your cover if anyone else ever noticed. And don't ever try to lie to me now; I know what to watch for." She laughed and stretched her legs. "You should talk to Senza – he can lie like no one else, it's really impressive. Gonzo's pretty convincing too, actually. So is Zuko… Actually, no, he's just really quiet. Nudge can't lie worth a damn though, he's too kind to even try. Niko too, he's too meek to. That and he shakes like he's dying."

He simply rolled his eyes as she rambled. "I get it," he muttered. "So I have a tick when I lie. Everyone does!"

"Especially you," she emphasized slowly with a smirk, bumping against his shoulder. He sighed.

"I don't think it's as bad as this one pirate I know," he countered. She raised her brow, unsure of what he was talking about. "She's a badass who can handle anything. Except awkward and embarrassing situations, when she blushes as red as a rupee!"

Her eyes narrowed, the smile gone from her lips. "I do not."

"You totally do! Remember when we were eating a couple weeks back, and you spilled your juice all over yourself? You were red all night!"

"I wasn't," she mumbled, but her voice wavered. To her dismay, she could feel her cheeks getting hot even as she thought about it. She hoped he didn't notice, but of course he did.

"You can't even think about it without getting embarrassed!" he exclaimed, breaking off into laughter. "Everyone makes a fool out of themselves at some point. Even you, Miss Badass."

"You blush all the time!" she retorted hotly. "Especially when I do something flirty. Does it make you nervous?" She leaned in dangerously close to his face, their lips only centimetres apart. Staring deep into his eyes and whispering seductively, she asked, "Are you nervous now?"

He swallowed, seeming to be wrestling with something. Eventually he turned away, his own face bright red as well. "That's just because it seems unlike you," he said, turning away and looking out over the water. She glanced down at her hands trying to calm herself. She didn't want him to know, but doing that had caused her own face to heat up again. She had gotten closer than she had intended to. She had almost kissed him, but the embarrassing part was that part of her had _screamed_ to. And, unless she was wrong, part of him had wanted to as well. What did it mean?

"I do blush all the time, so I don't really care," he said loudly, rousing her from her thoughts. "You don't, so it's a bigger deal. So there."

She groaned. That was a pathetic excuse, and he knew it. But it didn't matter; she had other points she could use. "When _you're_ embarrassed you can't talk at all. It's like you freeze up or something. What's up with that?"

He ignored her, but was well aware of these occurrences. "You almost skip when you're really happy! It's obvious in the way you walk!" he accused. "That's not like a pirate – that's part of the girl you suppress coming out!"

"You _sneeze _like a girl."

"You slurp your soup!"

"At least I don't cover myself in crumbs when I eat bread! Learn to open your mouth more!"

"Maybe you should learn to shut yours! Then it wouldn't get you in trouble all the time!"

"Hey, I stand up for myself!" she shot back. "When I first met you, you were a spineless coward! If you hadn't changed I don't think I could've ever befriended you!"

"At least I showed emotion!" he opposed, irritated. "You were so cold and distant when I first rescued you! I didn't think I'd _ever _become friends with you based on that!"

They sat in tense silence, glaring at each other. She was about to reply, but she had no accusation to retort with. Instead, something completely unrelated and _kind_ popped into her head. Taking a deep breath, she said quietly, "You… smell nice."

He stared at her, unsure of what to say. A slight smile appeared on his face and he replied, "You always look good no matter what you do."

After a moment they broke into laughter, wiping away the pointless argument that had dominated only moments before. She shook her head, trying to calm down. Why that had escalated the way it had, she couldn't say. But it wasn't worth their time to compete and accuse each other of being themselves. They were who they were. That was why they appealed to each other, and why they were so close. She wouldn't ever change, and knew he wouldn't either. And that fact made her happy.

"Tetra?"

She turned to look at him. "Hmm?"

He smiled sincerely at her. "I'm glad I met you. I'm thankful that we're friends."

She smiled back, resting against him as they stared out over the water together. "I am too. More than you know."


	33. Loss

_Switching to angst again. There are some experiences in childhood that you just don't recover from. Maybe you're like me, and try to bury those negative feelings. But eventually they break their way to the surface and wreak havoc on your health, and your life._

* * *

**Loss**

It felt like something was wrong. He hadn't yet placed what it was, but she seemed to be in a short-tempered mood today. She would blow up at anyone who performed a task less than perfectly, and critique any positive aspect she found with her day. It bothered him; she was supposed to trust him enough by now to confide in him when something happened to her. What was worrisome, though, was that none of the men seemed to even acknowledge her mood swing, each wearing a morose mask of their own, void of any joy they found. It definitely felt like something was wrong today.

He glanced up to where she stood, poised at the stern beside Gonzo as the big man guided the ship through the waters. She was silent, but her eyes seemed to be yelling at everything they looked at. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest and she scarcely moved, only allowing the breeze to lightly play with her hair. "Faster," she snapped at Gonzo, who simply mumbled, "Aye, Miss," in response. He frowned. That behaviour wasn't like either of them. What was going on?

"Hey," he called up to her, though she ignored him. "You alright? You're starting to worry me." She didn't respond, instead staring straight out across the ocean before them. He narrowed his eyes. Why wouldn't she talk to him? Had he done something to infuriate her? Nothing jumped to mind that would set her off like this. What could it be then?

"Tetra," he called again, a little more aggressively. "I'm talking to you. At least acknowledge it." He caught a flash in her eyes, but she remained stubbornly silent. He let out an exasperated sigh. She was beginning to provide him with an unwanted headache. "Is something wrong? Talk to me!"

"Shut _up_, Link," she hissed angrily. "I have enough to think about without you chattering away in my ear. Leave me alone." His face fell into one of hurt annoyance.

"Where did _that_ come from?" he asked angrily. "I'm just trying to talk to you!"

"Who said I wanted to talk to _you,_ genius?" she shot back. "I'm trying to accomplish something. If you're not going to help, then get out of here."

"Goddesses, what the hell's biting _your_ ass today?" he spat under his breath. Her eyes flashed frighteningly, and he knew that she had heard. Jumping off of the stern, she slowly approached him, balling her hands into fists.

"I'm sorry," she whispered dangerously, "_what_ did you just say to me?"

"So now you want me to talk," he replied instead, turning away. "Pretty bipolar today, aren't you? What's wrong?"

Hearing knuckles crack, he glanced back at her. She was gripping her fists so tightly that her fingers were popping. She looked angrier than he had ever seen her, as if she was ready to drill him in the teeth. For a moment it seemed as if she was considering it, and he took a tentative step back. Finally, though, she turned away and stalked below deck without a word. He raised a brow and, proceeding cautiously, followed her out of sight from everyone.

"Hey," he said softly, grabbing her arm. She spun around and threw his hand aside, looking ready to explode. He felt that _now_ he carried some blame for her mood.

"Go," she whispered, trembling. "Get out of my sight." He stared for a moment as she resumed her trek to her cabin, throwing open the door when it was within arm's reach. Before she could seal herself off though, he stepped forward and shoved his foot in the door. She failed to notice before slamming against it, and he gasped in pain.

Glancing down at his foot, and then back at him, she muttered, "Get. Out." He shook his head stubbornly and stepped inside. She snarled and turned to face the wall. "We're not talking! You might as well leave!"

"Tetra, I want to know what's wrong," he said firmly. You're supposed to tell me, remember? You promised you would. Please?"

"What do you want from me?!" she yelled, and he noticed her voice quiver. Slowly stepping around her, he kneeled down and glanced up into her downturned eyes. His expression softened when he spotted tears rolling down her cheeks. Standing up, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a firm hug. She was motionless for a moment before breaking her composure and sobbing into his chest, weakly hanging onto him.

"I'm sorry," she choked, trying and failing to calm herself. "I didn't… didn't mean to yell at you." He softly shushed her and held her tightly, gently rubbing her back as they sank onto the bed. She breathed deeply as she buried herself into his shoulder, trying to regain her composure. He comforted her quietly, waiting until she felt ready to talk.

They sat in silence as the minutes ticked a half hour by, though neither took notice. She eventually rubbed her eyes, exhaling deeply and shaking her head. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess sometimes."

He smiled softly, squeezing her. "You aren't a mess. I just knew you were upset, and wanted to help. I'm sorry I lost my temper, I should've controlled myself."

"Don't apologize," she mumbled. "It was all my fault. It's just… a hard day. I didn't mean to take it out on you, it just happened."

He frowned, concerned. "What do you mean, it's a hard day? Why?" She took a deep breath, shuddering for a moment.

"It's… my mother's anniversary," she said shakily, another tear falling down her face. "Of the day I lost her."

He mentally slapped himself. _Why_ had he not been able to piece that together? Of course she was upset – that explained why everyone else seemed to be in low spirits as well. It was the day their captain, her dear mother, had left them behind. He felt guilty for getting angry now. Tetra had never once talked about when or how she had lost her mother, but the signs had been clear. If only he'd been thinking.

"I'm sorry, Tetra," he whispered, drawing her closer. "I didn't know."

"I didn't expect you to," she responded dejectedly. "I never told you about it. I guess I'd never wanted to."

He nodded in understanding. If it was something painful, of course she wouldn't want to talk about it. "When did she…? I mean, don't tell me if you don't want to. I just thought that…"

She shook her head. "You might as well know, since I put you through all that crap. It was five years ago, when I was only ten. She had caught a bad illness and was stuck in bed for days. When she tried to leave, to get back to her duties, she ended up cutting herself pretty badly. She hadn't shaken her sickness yet, and then her wound got infected." She swallowed. "She didn't make it two days after that."

He sighed, holding her against his chest as he gently rubbed her shoulder. "I'm sorry that had to happen. You always talk about her so highly."

She nodded, wiping her face. "She taught me so much. And I mean, I never really had a father, so she was everything to me." She took another deep breath, trying to keep her voice level. "I never really learned to deal with the pain. I just… pushed it away, and buried it. But it makes today so hard every time it comes around."

He nodded, but placed his hand on her chin, gently lifting it to look into her eyes. "But you know you have me now, right? I'll help you cope with the pain. I know what it's like, believe it or not." He shrugged. "Maybe not exactly the way you do, but I can relate better than most. So I can help you with this." He smiled at her. "You trust me, don't you?"

She nodded. "Of course. More than anyone." His heart skipped a beat. She trusted _him_ more than anyone else? More than any of her crew members that she had known for years? He almost couldn't believe it, but it made him joyous to know that he could do that for her. She was, after all, the same for him.

Staring deep into her eyes, he whispered, "Then let me help you, 'kay? You don't have to deal with this by yourself when you're not."

She took a deep breath and nodded, wiping her eyes once more as she embraced him. "Okay," she whispered into his ear. "Thank you."

He smiled as he hugged her back, enjoying the moment. It wouldn't be a quick fix, especially when she had ignored the pain for years. But it was something they would work at together, so she would someday be free of its burden. He hated it when she was upset, and wanted more than anything to heal all of her grief. He simply wished for her to be happy.

It was what she deserved, more than anything.


	34. Birthday

_Meaningful gifts are always special, right? They're on a more personal level than something bought without any rhyme or reason. It shows you put some time and effort into it. It shows that you really care._

* * *

**Birthday**

She took a deep breath, letting the salty air fill her lungs and calm her down. It was sort of a big day for Link – namely, he turned fifteen, and was obviously excited about it. So was she, to an extent. But she was also nervous. She had never really been close enough to someone to feel an obligation to gift-giving on a birthday; with her crew, a birthday meant a day off doing whatever they wanted. But she couldn't just do that for him, and she really didn't want to. He was a special friend, and she wanted to do something nice for him.

The problem bad been the lack of ideas, experience, and, though it had been entirely her fault, time. She found herself unable to come up with a solid proposal for an event or even a gift, and had been panicking the last few days. So she hastily threw together some 'decorations' to acknowledge the day for him: a roughly painted sign that read 'Happy Birthday' hanging on the mast, some dangling ropes painted various colours that blew in the wind, and a variety of hats fashioned out of old treasure maps that the crew wore only out of esteem for the boy. It wasn't much, but on a ship in the middle of the ocean, it was the best she could manage.

She was sure she was the only one who hadn't wished him well yet, and felt a pang of guilt rise in her chest. But she quickly pushed it away, clutching the small, poorly wrapped package in her hands tightly. Odds were he was looking for her, since she'd been evading him all morning. Well, here she was, in the middle of the deck; there was no way he could miss her.

Needless to say, he rose to the deck only a few minutes later with a slight smile on his face. Strolling over to her with his hands in his pockets, he said, "There you are. I was starting to think you were avoiding me."

"Me? Never," she replied with a wave of her hand. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, call me crazy then. I just thought, because you haven't said something to me yet…"

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "Happy Birthday, idiot," she told him with a laugh. He laughed with her, brushing his hand through his hair. She noticed he had neglected to put on his hat as usual today. It was an odd sight – it was almost a part of him. She slipped his paper hat out of her pocket and handed it to him, trying to remedy the visual issue.

"Anyway," she said, trying to be confident, "this is all for you." She gestured all around her to the shoddy decorations, shrugging. "Sorry it isn't much, but it's all I could manage."

He shook his head, the hat wobbling loosely. "You didn't have to. I wasn't expecting it, but it looks really nice. It has that 'pirate' feel to it that I've come to enjoy from you." She let out a soft chuckle. That was something she'd needed to hear, concerning his gift.

She held out her hand for him to take the package. "This is for you, I hope you like it. I mean, I didn't really know what I could get you," she mumbled, glancing away. "But… I found this not too long ago, and I thought it might be alright."

He eyed it curiously before carefully opening the paper, trying to preserve the map it was wrapped in. Handing the wrapping back to her, he slipped the object into his free hand as it caught the sun's light. It was a gold necklace, a thin chain with a pair of crossed cutlasses hanging from it. The gold was fairly heavy, so it must have been worth a fair bit of money. But truthfully, she couldn't care less of its value. All that mattered to her was that he found it appealing.

"I figured it would be a good way to keep you in my head," she said with a wink, trying not to let her uncertainty rise. "Is it okay?"

He smiled at her, stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. "Of course it's okay," he told her, staring at the jewellery. "Where did you find it? It looks really valuable."

"We pulled it up in a chest last month, near the Fortress," she told him. "I slipped it into my pocket right beside you, you didn't even notice. I found it intriguing, but then I thought that you might enjoy it more."

"Well, it'll definitely keep me thinking of you," he replied with a smirk as he placed it around his neck. "How many times have we crossed blades now? I don't even know. Talk about symbolic." She laughed, her nerves calmed. She hadn't even considered that.

"I'm sorry it isn't much," she said. "You're kind of hard to think of for gifts, though. But I'm glad you like it."

"It didn't have to be much," he responded, glancing down at the swords on his chest. "You put thought into this, I know you did. That means more to me than if you had spent a hundred rupees for a plain chain. Y'know?"

She nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. "I'm not sure if you're into jewellery. But I figured it couldn't hurt, right?"

"Don't worry, I won't be taking this off," he replied with a grin, fingering the pendant. "This stays on me, no matter what."

She smiled, pleased that he so enjoyed her gift. She stepped forward and, fighting the nerves that rose once more, placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Smiling at his blush and trying to ignore her own, she shrugged and winked. "Happy Birthday, Link."


	35. Feelings

_Okay, super early morning tomorrow, so I'll be in bed the minute this is posted. Which will still be too late for my liking. __*Sigh* C'est la vie, non? …__Jesus, I spend an afternoon in a French Immersion classroom, and this happens. It's going to be a long month…_

* * *

**Feelings**

He sighed, running a hand through his windblown hair as he stared at the evening sky. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but it was awfully hard to focus when the object of his issue was the blonde captain he was currently distancing himself from. Something had been happening lately, and he couldn't explain what the cause was. So he had thought it a good idea to hole himself up in the crow's nest for a while to figure it out, watching the sun dip into the horizon as tiny diamonds began to dot the sky. It hadn't been too successful so far.

Recently he had begun to see the girl… differently. Whatever that meant – she was still Tetra, through and through. But he felt almost a sort of flutter in his chest when it was just the two of them together, whether they were working or simply chatting half the night away. When she laughed, he wanted to laugh with her. When she cried, he wanted nothing more than to stroke her until she was calm. And _every_ time she looked deep into his eyes, he had to fight the strongest urge to lean in and kiss her.

He stared up at the faint stars, breathing slowly while a breeze brushed against his face. It was pretty obvious that he _liked_ her, and it was getting harder to hide it. The problem was that he didn't know why it was happening. She was his closest friend, and they had been through a lot together. Why was he developing feelings for her? Things were fine now, so why change them? He told himself that repeatedly, but somehow his emotions kept slipping refusals into his mind, pushing the argument away.

But it wasn't just what _he_ wanted – whatever that really was – but what she did as well. Of course she flirted with him now and then, but that was just because she did that. It didn't necessarily mean she felt the same way that he did. Unless she did, and that was her way of showing affection? Or she _was_ just being Tetra…

He groaned, running his hands through his hair once more. This was really confusing. What did he do? If he told her and she didn't feel the same, things would get unbelievably weird! Could she even be around him after that? But what if she _did_ feel the same? They could maybe get together and… What? What did they do if they were together? What would change?

Wait, what _would_ change? Besides a bit more physical intimacy, however far it went, he couldn't see much difference to their current friendship. And it wasn't like they could just go out whenever they wanted. They were stuck on a boat in the ocean, only docking when they needed to. And she had her crew to think about, too. She couldn't just skip out on them and their wants to be with him. Really, getting together would just make things worse.

But he _wanted_ it more than he could even express. When she had kissed him the other day, he had so desperately wanted to grab her and kiss her back, to share a real kiss between them. Maybe it had been her way of telling him to? Or maybe it was just a gift because they were friends, and she was simply a girl while he was simply a boy. But they were definitely close. He had helped her a few times with emotional issues now, and she had done the same for him for as long as he'd known her. So where did the friendship line stop and the 'feelings' line begin? That's assuming there were feelings to contend with. Which he didn't know at this point.

He sighed, rubbing his temples wearily. So far he'd gotten nowhere apart from giving himself a headache. He had simply gone in circles and still had no results to act upon. Did he tell her? Not tell her? Wait and see what happens? He pondered the latter, drumming his fingers impatiently. Maybe that was the best choice for the time being: carry on as normal and see what transpires between them. Maybe, one night in her cabin, if she's really happy, they may just end up a little too close, catch themselves in the moment, lean in slowly, and…

He rolled his eyes; if only it was that easy. Feelings were confusing. Who dealt with this? They made him feel happy, but also miserable and confused. Why was that even a thing? It was inane! He rubbed the bridge of his nose, exhaling softly. Life was hilariously funny sometimes.


	36. Bittersweet

_I never in my life thought that being a music teacher would entail… well, so much non-music work. I mean, obviously, it would, but I just want to, y'know, sing with students, play piano, have fun, etc. Spending an afternoon sorting STACKS of music through sixteen goddamn binders though? …Reality knocked. It said life was funny. Déjà vu, right?_

_Wow, that had nothing to do with this. Uh… Angsty chapter because I'm tired. Or something. Enjoy._

* * *

**Bittersweet**

"Ugh, not good," she moaned, rubbing her temples sorely while her stomach raged in pain. It turned out that bad timing _was¸_ in fact, sentient, and _did,_ actually, have a sick sense of humour. And the worst part was that she couldn't even run it through with her dagger like everything else that attempted to screw her over. But even if she'd had the opportunity to do so, two things prevented her from this. The first was the illness that had reared its head in the last couple hours. The second was the very sick boy that was lying in her bed, sweating and coughing as if he was near death.

He had fallen ill quite suddenly, the symptoms quickly taking his strength as he collapsed in the midst of cleaning the deck. She had taken him to her cabin to watch over him, placing a chair at his side and refusing to move for any reason. But his condition had done nothing but deteriorate, breaking into chills while fighting a fever that had been steadily rising. Consequently, he had been persistently fighting her for blankets even while she insisted that they would only make him worse. He'd been too delirious to understand, though, and now he barely recognized what was happening, which didn't surprise her.

What did was that she was now feeling sick herself. It had come out of nowhere, but she now found herself hunched over her bed while Link attempted to rest, oblivious to her suffering. There must have been some sort of influenza that someone on the ship had picked up. He was struggling to prevent it from overtaking him, but it was starting to appear that it had also spread to her body and was already putting her through the same treatment.

She could feel the beginnings of a fever quickly overtaking her, and she panted while trying to cool herself with a damp rag. It had been used to keep Link cool through his own, but he didn't even seem to notice her sponging his forehead anymore. Hopefully that continued, because she desperately needed to treat herself before she got any worse. Although, she thought with a grimace, if he'd fallen victim in such a short timeframe, there was probably nothing she could do now to prevent her own fate.

They were already setting sail for the nearest island, which she knew had a doctor. They just needed to last long enough to arrive, and they'd be fine. The worry was that they wouldn't estimate an arrival until the following morning. She was beginning to doubt that Link may have that long; he couldn't keep any food down, and was still attempting to wrap himself in a thick blanket in the midst of a high fever. He needed medicine.

But they barely had any left. She grabbed the bottle of liquid and cast a concerned glance over the contents. There was _maybe_ enough for one helping. She wasn't sure that he could last with only this to sustain him through the night. And what about her? She was getting sicker with each minute that passed. He was already in trouble, but she could possibly fare better if she took it herself.

She sighed, closing her eyes and trying to ignore the pain she felt everywhere. She couldn't do that to him. He was already suffering, to the point where he wouldn't even be around to _see_ the morning if his fever continued to rise. Uncorking the bottle, she lifted his chin and gently poured the remainder of the remedy into his mouth. He drank without even opening his eyes, too confused to attempt a protest. She tossed the bottle away once he finished as her stomach heaved for what seemed like the dozenth time.

She was tough, right? She could manage to make it until morning without it, no problem. She smiled to herself, but then shut her eyes and gripped her head as the room began to spin before her, trying with all her might not to throw up all over her bed. Taking a deep breath once it felt that it passed, she opened her eyes only for the feeling to continue. Moaning in frustration and pain, she breathed once more, willing herself not to cry.

She slipped her hand onto Link's, who had once again passed out. "You'll be fine," she whispered, laying her head down on the bed. "You just have to make it till tomorrow, then we can get help. We can both get help." Her eyelids were terribly heavy; it took all of her focus to keep them open. She felt like she was ready to faint, her own fever rising steadily as her poor head pounded in agony. He had to be okay – he had medicine to ward off the symptoms, for however long it lasted. Once tomorrow came he'd be perfect in no time.

"It'll be okay," she mumbled softly as she slipped into unconsciousness. "It'll all be okay."


	37. Music

_It's Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on- Wait, that song's shit. I know this for a fact; as I type this, Bublé fills my ears with his magical serenades. So take that, Ms. Whatever the hell your name is. But yeah. Long-ass week. So to celebrate the end of school for a couple days, enjoy a new chapter! I mean, they come out every day, but… well… Yeah._

* * *

**Music**

This really wasn't a terribly difficult thing to learn. Actually, it had come to her rather quickly, since she sat down and played for an hour each night. But it was also relaxing, and very enjoyable. Why hadn't she ever thought to try this sooner? Probably because she hadn't learned to unwind before meeting Link. She wouldn't have ever imagined creating music back then – she was completely committed to making herself and her boys richer with each day that passed. But now… It was nice to slow down and branch out.

She had always enjoyed music, especially when she was little and her mother would occasionally sing while working. But the inspiration had probably settled into her mind after returning from Hyrule. Medli and Makar had been part of their greeting party, and had played a beautiful ballad duet to mark the end of the threat across the Great Sea. It had spoken to her; ever since then the urge to try playing an instrument had settled in the back of her mind, occasionally jumping forth like a curious child.

She secretly enjoyed singing like her mother, but was shy of her voice and only did it when alone. And ever since Link had caught her, she'd been terribly careful of that. However, pouring her energy into an instrument was a different form of expression, and it was quickly becoming one that she thoroughly enjoyed. Medli's gentle strumming had piqued her interest in the harp, so she had bought a decent quality one the week prior when they had stopped to restock at a major port.

The fact was that she had an exorbitant amount of money stashed away in a hidden reserve. And since she never really bought anything beyond food and supplies, her wealth simply accumulated to extreme figures. She was technically rich enough to purchase an island half the size of Windfall, if she so deemed. But since there were a variety of uninhabited islands already, that idea was utterly stupid. So it grew until something ever occurred and she needed money to fall back on.

Or until she happened across something she really wanted. She could have easily purchased Link a diamond for a birthday gift, the size of which almost all of the ocean's population could only dream about. But what would he have done with anything expensive? Truthfully, she'd been rather happy with the chain; true to his word, she had yet to see him without it faintly visible under his clothes. So that had worked out without the need to fall back on money. Besides, the harp was a practical excuse of spent money; you could only stare at a diamond.

Ultimately, her plan was to practice a song and then surprise him with it when they were alone. She'd been committed to it, practicing without missing a night regardless of how tired she may have felt. It was showing, though: her playing was becoming much more steady and confident, and her song was almost perfect. It was a simple tune that was popular on Dragon Roost, but it sounded especially pretty on the harp. She knew he'd enjoy it; he had some musical knowledge himself from the Wind Waker, and was sure to find it soothing. She just had to ignore her nerves and play it properly in front of him.

She closed her eyes as she lay on her bed, letting the gentle melody float around the room. Goddesses, music was relaxing. She could really get into this. Maybe she could find a piece to sing along to! She could offer shows whenever they docked, playing on the side of the road and making a bit of extra money. Not that she needed it, but it was a sincere form of appreciation. But she was probably getting ahead of herself. She had a long way to go before something like that, but it was nice to have a goal to work toward.

A faint knock on her door shook her from her imagined future, her playing ceasing immediately. Knowing the knock, it was likely Link. But what was he doing up at this hour? It was _well_ past sunset; he should have turned in hours ago. Calling out, "Come in," the door swung open a crack and the familiar blonde head poked inside with a smile.

"Hey," he said, eyes tracing over the harp. "Thought I could hear music. Whatcha doin'?"

"Uh…" So much for _her_ surprise. She felt like a kid caught stealing a cookie. "Well, I bought a harp," she answered lamely, holding up the instrument. He nodded and closed the door, walking closer and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I thought that I'd learn a song and surprise you. So… ta-da?"

He laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to spoil your plan. I just thought I could hear music when I was trying to fall asleep. It sounded pretty nice."

"Thanks," she told him, honestly appreciating the compliment. "I've been practicing every night for a week, though. I don't know how you didn't hear me before if you did now."

"Well, before I've been up early and working all day," he answered with a shrug. "Today, though, I didn't really do much. So I'm not really tired, and was conscious of subtle differences when trying to sleep. Make sense?"

She nodded. She hadn't thought her playing could be heard, but then again, he had also caught her singing while on the _deck_ of all places. Maybe her room wasn't as soundproof as she thought. That had been a pretty stupid assumption on her part.

"So can you play me something then?" She looked up, staring at him. He wanted a song? She wasn't sure she was quite ready. But the way he looked at her didn't leave her with much of a choice. So she shrugged and hugged the instrument to her chest, taking a deep breath. She began to pluck the strings as the familiar melody filled the room once more.

He closed his eyes and softly nodded to the beat, a small smile curving onto his lips. She smiled and closed her eyes as well, letting her fingers guide themselves in the familiar movements. They sat in silence and let the music carry them away, far away where they were nowhere near the ocean, or the sky, or anything comprehensible. They were in a place that had nothing. Nothing but each other, staring into the other's eyes and dancing softly to the lyrical tune that emanated from her playing. And because of it, it was a place that held everything.

In her mind, she sighed in contentment. She could only imagine her excitement if he happened, by any chance, to be envisioning the same.


	38. Visitor

_Nothing to really say tonight, so enjoy._

* * *

**Visitor**

Aryll had been dying to see him for ages, writing a weekly letter and detailing the slow happenings around Outset. He'd felt guilty about leaving her behind after Hyrule, but the potential danger he may have been facing would have been no place for her. Besides, someone needed to watch over their grandmother, who tended to worry herself sick every time she wasn't with them. Even so, it had been months since he had seen her. After her most recent letter had explained her taking a trip to Windfall with Sue-Belle, he'd decided to swing by the city to pick her up for a visit. It was only to be for a couple days, but Tetra had understood that he needed to spend time with her.

She had been more than surprised when she noticed the ship approach the island, but had greeted him with a tight hug all the same. She'd also been excited to see Tetra again, who she enthusiastically looked up to as a sister. And of course she had spent the first hour with the crew that she'd befriended when he and Tetra had been dealing with Hyrule's struggle. The men all held a soft spot for the girl, and were always on their best behaviour around her. It was a vibe she gave off; she could charm and befriend anyone, no matter who they might be.

She'd rarely left his side as the ship took a small loop around Pawprint Isle, idly killing time. She had even requested to sleep near him last night, telling him that she missed hearing his breathing to help her fall asleep. He couldn't help but agree to that. After all, he had been away for a long time. As much as he'd gotten used to her absence, it was obvious that she still longed for someone to be around. Though by the sounds of it, she spent all of her time helping Sue-Belle as the older woman began to mentor the girl about life. At least she had that as a benefit, in lieu of him being around.

She seemed to always have a question for him about his plans and dealings, but he didn't mind. His answers weren't necessarily something she understood, but it made little difference to her. She was simply happy talking to him again, and truthfully, he was too. She seemed older than he remembered. She'd done a fair amount of growing up since they'd last been together.

"Brother?"

He glanced at her as they stood at the railing together, staring out over the water. It was a sight he never tired of, but the view was something different for her, watching the ship cut through water as waves washed up against the hull. "Yeah?"

"Are you and Miss Tetra together?"

He blinked in surprise. She'd asked a lot of questions since yesterday, but none of them had been remotely close to something like that. "…What?"

"I dunno, you look at her funny. It's not the same way you look at me; there's something else in your eyes, do you understand? And you keep looking over at her when you talk. How come? Is it because you're together?"

It was incredible, how a kid could notice things that even escaped adults at times. He hadn't ever realized that he looked at Tetra differently. Or, for that matter, that he kept glancing over at her. He subconsciously turned to where she stood at the stern, chatting with Gonzo and Senza. Clearly he had been, if he knew where she was and what she was doing. Shaking his head, he turned back to his sister.

"We're not together, Aryll. I look at her because… she gets into trouble a lot, so I have to keep an eye on her. It's a habit, that's all."

"That's silly," she replied with a frown. Leaning close and raising her eyebrows, she asked quietly, "Is it because you like her?"

He tried to remain neutral, to let no tick indicate that her question made him nervous. Shaking his head as casually as he could, he said, "I don't like her. She's my friend, okay? I just care about her."

She slyly let a small grin flash across her face. "It's more than that. I think you do. You can't hide the way you look at her."

"Trust me, alright? There's nothing going on between us. We're just friends."

She smiled, but there was something in it. She didn't quite believe him, but refused to argue it. "Sure. It was only a question." She turned away to look at something in the distance, keeping her back to him. After a moment, she added, "I just wondered because she looks at you the same way."

"I- What?" he asked, a little too quickly. She turned back to him and blinked innocently. She seemed content with keeping silent, and he knew he couldn't press the matter without her calling him on his lies. So he closed his mouth and turned back to the island that was quickly growing.

They reached Windfall a few minutes later, but he spent the entire time mulling over what she'd said. She was probably telling the truth; she knew him better than almost anyone. More than that, she _was_ a pretty perceptive person. He'd have to watch what he did more carefully, lest someone else happened to notice. That was more stress than he needed.

They pulled up to the dock, and Aryll gave everyone a big hug before running down the gangplank to where Sue-Belle waited patiently. He stood with Tetra at the stern as the pirates called out goodbyes. It hadn't been a terribly long visit, but it was still nice to catch up with her. He made a mental note to visit more often. She and their grandmother needed it.

"Make sure you're doing your chores, okay? Tell everyone I said hi. And let Grandma know that I'm doing fine, and that I miss her. Do that for me?" he called to her.

She nodded with a smile. "I will, Brother! Come visit soon! Everyone misses you!" Looking at the girl beside him, she waved and called, "Bye, Miss Tetra! Come visit too!"

Tetra chuckled and gave a wave. "Bye, kiddo. Take it easy."

"Bye, Senza! Nudge! Mako! Gonzo! Zuko! Niko!" Aryll cried, calling each pirate in turn and waving enthusiastically. "I'll miss you! Come see me soon!" The men all waved back, promising that they'd stop by Outset before she could even notice their absence. As the ship pulled away from the island, the pair began walking across the deck as Tetra called out for everyone to resume their positions.

Turning to him after a moment, she asked, "So what were you and Aryll talking about just then?"

He smiled and shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, you know. Nothing important."


	39. Friendship

_Well, this weekend went by rather quickly. So much for being a break. Oh well, that's the way of things, I suppose. Here's your chapter to end the weekend for you. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Friendship**

It was once again well past the point that they should have been up, but they once again found themselves talking up in the crow's nest, basking in the moon's glow while underneath the faint flurry of stars. It had become a habit for them, staying up half the night and discussing everything and anything that occurred to them. They didn't necessarily have a reason for it; they simply enjoyed the time spent together. Or at least that had to be the reason, because often their conversations led nowhere.

"No, it _would_ be okay. They stole the money first, so it's inherently up for grabs," she explained while he listened intently. "It's sort of a pirate golden rule, if you will. Stolen money is freer than untouched money."

"Wait, the money has different levels of value…?" he asked, frowning. She squinted into the distance, trying to think of an acceptable answer.

"Well, in a way. I mean, anyone can just steal from someone. But once that money's in pirate hands, it's 'ownerless', so to speak. So other pirates are more than free to try and take it."

"And you're all okay with it?" he asked skeptically. "It seems like something everyone would get burned by sooner or later."

"Yeah, probably. It's more an accepted reality, rather than an agreed upon law. Make sense? It just started happening, and we all came to live with it."

He shook his head. "You have more laws than… the law. I never knew being a pirate was so complicated."

"Oh, you have no idea. I'll teach you sometime," she replied with a wink. They fell into silence, staring up at the moon that was high above them. She got such pleasure from talking to him. Most of the conversations were absolutely pointless, and some even led to arguments, but it was still personal time spent with the hero. It was a concept she never tired of, especially because she hadn't had this sort of friendship when she was younger. It was something special to her.

"Oh, shooting star!" he said suddenly, pointing at the vast expanse. "Did you see it?"

She shook her head, having been staring into the face of the moon. "Lucky. Make a wish on it."

"Already did," he said with a grin. She raised her brow in curiosity, but he simply shook his head. "Nope. Won't come true if I tell you."

"That's such a made-up excuse to cover embarrassing secrets," she protested. "C'mon, tell me!"

"Not on your life," he laughed. "If I say, I'll have to leave."

She smirked. "Aww, it _is_ embarrassing? You're so adorable." He rolled his eyes and turned back to the sky, scanning the night for any more falling stars.

"Why are we friends?" he asked with a chuckle, not taking his eyes away from the celestial bodies. She snorted. Good question.

"I assume it's because we were forced to work together when we first met, came to tolerate each other, got to know each other, and somehow developed a liking for the other," she suggested teasingly.

He nodded casually. "Yeah, I meant besides all that." They broke into laughter, letting it rise to the heavens without a thought of minding the noise. She calmed herself and looked at him, studying the playful smile that spread across his face.

"Whatever the reason was," she began with a sincere look, "I'm really happy I met you. You know that? You're probably the best thing that happened to me. No matter how much I hated the fact that you rescued me when I didn't even know you."

"Goddesses, you just can't let that go!" he exclaimed, pretending to sigh heavily. "Just accept that I'm better than you already."

She rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug, which he reciprocated with a laugh. Holding her tightly, he said, "But really, I know what you mean. You're my best friend, and I really don't know how I would have gotten this far if it weren't for you."

They parted as she shot him a wink. "I guess we're lucky we found each other then."

"I guess so," he replied. "I mean, you fell onto my island, which isn't that big. Would've been hard not to."

"Shut up," she told him with a light smack. "You need me as much as I need you. Can we just agree on that and watch the stars?"

He chuckled and nodded, leaning back beside her to stare at the diamonds that glittered in the darkness. "Yeah, I suppose. Thank you needing me as much as I need you, friend."

She sighed and shook her head. "Whatever you say, ass." He stuck his tongue at her tauntingly, and she couldn't suppress the laugh that rose up her throat. "I hate you sometimes."

"You say that because you couldn't bear to live without me," he countered, nudging her in the ribs. She sighed and rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

"I suppose so."

He glanced at her in surprise – evidently he hadn't expected an honest answer. But he shrugged nevertheless and replied, "Well, ditto. So don't go anywhere, 'kay?"

"Fine, I won't," she told him. "You too though, alright?"

"Of course not," he said with a sure smile. "What else are friends for?"

"What indeed?" she answered mostly to herself as the silence washed over them once more. There were a few things she could think of, but they may transcend the bond of what constituted friendship. Or would they?

She chuckled to herself. There was really only one way to find out, wasn't there?


	40. Breathe

_Ever have a moment with someone where you want to say something, but can't? There are numerous reasons for such a cause; this one is, without a doubt, my favourite._

* * *

**Breathe**

They were lying on the deck, feeling the ship's gentle rocks with the waves and enjoying the fiery orange of the sky as the sun began to vanish beyond the horizon. It had been a rather long, exhausting day – they had cleaned out and sorted the cargo hold for the first time in far too long, and there had been a lot of shuffling around to be done. It had taken the better part of the afternoon, after which anyone had been too tired to do anything else. He had wandered over to the bow and all but collapsed onto his back, and it hadn't been much longer before she had taken up a place beside him.

She wasn't sure how long they'd been here – truthfully, she'd lost track of the time that she'd scarcely monitored to begin with. But the sun had begun to set, so it was safe to say that they'd been in the same position for a few hours now. She may have fallen asleep at some point, but wasn't really sure anymore. Everything seemed to be blending in and out of reality. She briefly wondered if she was by herself. Was Link even out here anymore? She hadn't heard him in a while.

She reached out beside her and felt an arm. Yep, still there. He didn't react though, so she snuck a quick glance at him to check if he was asleep. He didn't appear to be; his eyes were glazed over but half-open, facing the sky while obviously lost in thought. As she studied him, she became aware of his breathing.

_In… Out… In… Out…_

He was totally relaxed, it was clear. She turned back to the orange expanse and sighed softly. This was new for them: just lying together, enjoying the atmosphere and their presence. No talking, no disturbing sounds, just… silence. Nothing but breathing.

She closed her eyes and focused on the sound of his chest rising and falling, subconsciously matching her own breaths to his. This was so settling; why couldn't they do this forever? Just sailing along the ocean, watching the sky as its flurry of colours came to pass above their heads. It was beautiful. So beautiful that she didn't want it to stop.

The thought fluttered through her head and she felt a question rise to her lips. But did she want to ask? What if she ruined this moment? Or could she, if she simply wanted to ask about the very thing in question? It didn't really seem possible, so it couldn't hurt, could it?

"Hey, Link?"

She heard his head turn towards her, stirred from his thoughts. Why did she open her mouth? He'd been content before. "Hmm?"

She glanced at him again. He simply seemed so relaxed, so at _peace_; it was a rather sharp contrast to the lives they led, often being thrown into danger before they could realize. She didn't want to take it away from both of them. It wasn't fair, especially to him. Besides, the question had already died in her mouth, along with the desire to voice it.

She shook her head. "It's nothing." She moved her hand out and gently brushed her fingers against his, closing her eyes once more and losing herself to the sound of his rhythmic breaths. "Never mind."


	41. Equivalent

_Alright, and the eventual follow-up to 'Birthday' finally surfaces. Remember WAY back to chapter one? Birthday difference of a couple months? Well, let's say that that's roughly passed since 'Birthday'. Also references 'Hair', for obvious reasons, and takes place before 'Sick' and so on. So, yeah; Tetra's turn!_

* * *

**Equivalent**

Had she been nervous on his birthday? He rather hoped so; it seemed a little more even that way. Despite that, he was quite unsure about his gift. It was no necklace pulled up from the ocean floor, that was for sure. He touched the chain under his shirt briefly. Maybe his present wasn't that good. It was a little conceited, to be honest. But he'd had a feeling she'd enjoy it upon first spying it. He just hoped his initial instinct would hold up to impress her.

He stood on the deck anxiously, glancing every few seconds at the gift in his hands. Maybe he should rethink this. But how would he have time to? It's not like he could put this off for another day; it was her _birthday_. That came once a year. Besides, she'd been unsure of his gift, right? It would probably be fine. He needed some confidence in himself.

He knew why he was nervous, though. He just wanted to impress her, to make her happy and satisfied. He wanted the knowledge that he was capable of that. It really had to come from this, or else what would do it? Well, perhaps saving her life, but that seemed to happen so often now that it didn't even faze them anymore.

His thoughts were banished as she strode up onto the deck and, noticing him, headed his way. He straightened and took a deep breath. _Relax. You can do this._ She stopped before him and raised a brow at the object in his hands, and he shrugged sheepishly.

"Hey," he said as casually as he could. "Happy Birthday! How's it feel?"

"Feels like yesterday?" she replied carelessly. "I don't want to kill the mood, but did you ever find those charts?"

"What? Oh! No, but I have a feeling I know where they ended up. Uh…" He shuffled on his feet. He'd forgotten how little she seemed to care about birthdays; Nudge had warned him as much, but it was evidently something he needed to observe firsthand to have sink in. "So, I got you these."

He stuck out his hand and she took the gift slowly. "Oh, thanks. I mean, you didn't have to. I don't really care about these things."

_I heard._ "Well, you got something for me, right? That would hardly be fair if I didn't do the same." He glanced around uncertainly as she carefully unwrapped the gift. Suddenly he wanted to be far from here. Screw confidence; he took down Ganondorf, that was enough to be expected from him.

"Oh, wow," he heard her say, and he brought his eyes back to her as she examined the earrings in the sunlight. They were simple small rings, thin and gold. Nothing terribly ecstatic, but then he'd never seen her wear earrings. He found it odd, since he'd noticed her pierced ears long ago, but had never actually asked about it.

"My mother made me get them pierced when I was little," she explained, noticing his stare directed at her ears. "She did it herself, actually. I still stick earrings in them from time to time just to keep the stupid holes open, but I don't have anything I'd care to wear full time."

"Oh. That may have been good to know before I bought those," he admitted. "So those are too plain?"

She shook her head. "No, these are what I mean. They're _there_, but they're functional. They won't pull or dangle or anything to distract me. They're actually perfect." She gave him a sincere smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't known which way to go with the earrings, but it seemed like he'd made the right choice.

She glanced back down to the gift to notice something else in the wrapping. Curiously, she pulled out a big blue cloth. She eyed it over before turning to him, a blank look on her face.

"…What is it?" she asked, confused. He simply shrugged in response.

"A bandanna," he replied. "I… Well, I like seeing you with your hair down. But you said that your bun was functional. So I thought that a bandanna would be a way to have you wear your hair down _and _keep it out of your face. And it would look good on top of that, so…"

She stared at him for a moment before breaking into laughter, pulling him into a hug. "Touché, I guess. I hadn't actually considered that." She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Thank you for these. They're really thoughtful. I'll wear the earrings a lot, I know that for sure. And I _promise_ I'll wear the bandanna for you, if it makes you that happy."

He grinned in return, before noting that they were still holding each other. Staring at her, he wrestled with a decision, ever so slowly inching towards her face. At the last moment, he delivered a quick peck off to the side of her lips. She raised her brow, but gave an amused giggle. "Missed."

He blinked, and she gave him a wink before leaning in. Her eyes closed as his heart began to race. Their lips were about to meet, when-

"Miss Tetra! We need you at the stern!"

Her eyes shot open, and she sighed before turning to Mako, who stood near the wheel. "I'll be right there!" Turning back to Link, she smiled apologetically and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, I need to split. Thanks for the gifts, though. I'll come find you later."

With that, she turned away and headed off to where her crew waited. He exhaled before facing up to the sky and mulling over what had just happened. He was pretty confused, but she had ultimately enjoyed his gifts. He'd woken up this morning anticipating worse.

Even so, the entire situation left more questions in his head than he would have cared for.


	42. Thoughts

_Okay, so I think it's clear by this point that these two are getting to a pretty critical moment in their relationship. The issue is that there's still a lot of confusion brought about by a lack of knowledge, generally concerning the wishes of the other person. Typical teenagers: 'love' is confusing and foreign, and everything in the world revolves around the importance of getting it sorted out._

_Takes place shortly after 'Equivalent', but before 'Sick', 'Pain', and 'Remember'. Confusing, I know; the point is that we're drawing closer to Phantom Hourglass._

* * *

**Thoughts**

She sighed as she paced slowly around her room, going over her musings for perhaps the tenth time. He had almost kissed her yesterday, she was sure of it. For whatever reason, he'd backed out at the last moment and only pecked her cheek. And _she_ had almost kissed him back, with full intention to. She couldn't explain what had happened; she was caught up in the moment and wasn't thinking. Which meant that she'd acted instinctively – so her instincts were to kiss him? She had lately become aware of feelings that _may_ have surpassed a tight friendship, but had also tried her best to ignore them for the time being. They confused her, and she had other things to do right now than worry about him, and whatever it was that they were.

But he hadn't pulled away before, or even voiced an objection. Did that mean that he wanted to? Or had he just been too nervous to move? Goddesses, he was confusing sometimes… Wait, hang on; _he_ had kissed her first, right? He must have wanted it. Unless he only did it because she had kissed him on his birthday, and he was being fair. She moaned and ran a hand down her ponytail.

It felt odd, she noted. As she'd promised, she was wearing the presents he had given her. True to her word, the earrings were sitting comfortably, and didn't actually look too bad, either; they added a bit more of a feminine flair to her outfit. She could start getting into that, if she looked _this_ good. The bandanna had been a bit more hesitant, mainly because she'd gotten so used to having her hair up into a stylish bun. She'd let it down, tied it back, and thrown the cloth over – and she had to admit, it _did_ look pretty fine on her. Not to mention it offered some protection from the sun, which didn't hurt. Once she got used to wearing it, she could definitely get into it as a look.

And wasn't that the point? She wanted to look good for him, when she shouldn't really care about her appearance. Hell, when you work all day, you look dirty and you deal with it, no questions asked. But that didn't mean she couldn't style herself up a bit at night, when they were finished… There it was again. Where were these thoughts coming from?

She sighed and sat at the edge of her bed, rubbing her temples gingerly. Part of her wanted to just find Link, kiss him, and see what happened. It felt like that would answer a lot of her questions, so why not? Well, it could make things really awkward between them, possibly unhinge their friendship completely. That was… less than desirable. So that was a no-no, then.

Maybe he didn't even really like her. She flirted occasionally, and he _did_ get embarrassed, but maybe that was just his shy nature when it came to romance. Had he ever actually instigated something between them? As she thought about it, nothing came to mind. So was she just projecting, then? Was she simply seeing what she wanted to see in him? …Or was she just going crazy?

She groaned loudly and threw herself back onto her bed. _This _was why she ignored this sort of crap; it was just too distracting. And she'd been locked up in here for over an hour now, doing nothing but trying to decide what everything meant. She should probably get back up to the deck and see how they were coming along. Besides, Link was likely wondering what it was she was doing. She'd told no one of her dealings, unlike usual. What was she going to say?

She closed her eyes. Did it matter right now? Not terribly – she'd think of something after she got this straightened out. Now, there _had_ to be an answer somewhere…


	43. Stuck

_Tonight's episode is brought to you by a TeLink picture of DeviantART; the moment I saw it (by Linkerbell), I immediately thought up this story behind it. Takes place… I dunno. Sometime shortly following Wind Waker? Back when they were still idiots? Sounds good._

* * *

**Stuck**

"Tetra, they're coming. Tetra, they're coming. _Tetra, they're coming!_" he exclaimed, and she flinched. Yes, she was fully aware that they were coming. Bloody pirates, trying to steal from her… She found the island first, she dug up the chest first, and she found the bloody crown _first_. Everyone else could just screw off; it was her crown, and she was pawning it off for some serious money.

Well, if they could get off this stupid little island, anyway. Another ship was quickly approaching, cutting off their path back to her own ship anchored off the beach. It was just the two of them, so they likely had little chance of fighting through an entire crew and living to talk about it. Which didn't leave much else to do. Stay there and wait to die? Fat chance. Give up the crown? She snorted; even less likely.

"Damn it, what to do…?" she muttered, glancing around. There was little foliage to hide in, and climbing a palm tree sounded like a terrible idea. They could duck into the water around the island, but with his bright green tunic and her tanned skin, they would probably stick out worse than Tingle. "Alright, I'm open to suggestions right now."

"Give them the crown?"

"Are you nuts? Then coming here was pointless! Besides, I'd rather die than give up a bounty," she snapped, shooting a peek at the ship that was now dropping a dinghy into the water. No less than six huge men – wonderful. Her eyes scanned the area again, falling on some crates that had been grown over with moss. Probably left by whoever had ditched the treasure here, but they suddenly gave her an idea.

Closing the chest and dropping it into the hole, she quickly kicked it in and stomped the sand on top. She kicked everywhere to clear any signs of digging or footsteps as Link watched, bewildered at the sight. When she was finished, she studied her handiwork. The beach was a mess, but no one would tell that they'd removed the chest recently.

"Tetra, what-?"

"Shut up!" she hissed, grabbing his arm and half-dragging him to the nearest crate. It took some effort to pry off the lid, but eventually it came free with a slightly soggy 'snap'. "Quick, get in!"

"What? Why?"

"Because we're hiding, dumbass!" She grabbed his legs and ungracefully dumped him inside, hopping in behind him. Pulling the lid back overtop, she carefully set it into place and ducked into the darkness.

"Ow! Don't kick!"

"Shut. Up," she whispered through clenched teeth. "They can't know we're here!"

"So you hid us in a box? One of the only things on the island?"

"There's moss on the box, did you not notice? They just have to think that this has been here a while. Hopefully they won't bother checking."

"This plan is ridiculous," he muttered, attempting to shift himself out from under her. "It's just a stupid crown!"

"Yeah, and now it's _my_ crown," she shot back as quietly as she could, clutching the object to her chest tightly. "So just drop it already!"

"Fine," he snapped. "Goddesses, move_ over_! You're squishing me!"

"Move over where? I have nowhere _to_ move! We're in a bloody tight crate!"

"And whose fault is that?"

"I- …Shut up," she whispered, but attempted to wiggle out of the way so he could sit up. After a moment of grunting and struggling, he managed to get up and they awkwardly half-stood, facing each other with masks of annoyance.

"We could have just passed this one up," he murmured. "Is this really worth it?"

"We'll know once I sell it," she replied shortly, narrowing her eyes. "But like I said: I found it first, and I do not give up what's mine."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "You get weirdly competitive over this stuff. And really impatient."

"I do not!" she countered, but he stared at her flatly. "Shut up. I could be worse."

"Whatever," he retorted, rolling his eyes. "Just don't get me killed over your stupid thrill."

"No promises," she shot back. Cautiously cracking open the lid, she snuck a glance down the beach. "Crap, they're here. Don't make a goddamn _sound_, hear me?"

"Aye, Captain," he answered mockingly, rolling his eyes once again. She felt like smacking him, but that likely wouldn't end well for them. So she contented herself with staying still as they silently stared at each other. Muted footsteps could now be heard trekking through the sand, followed by a shovel sinking into the ground. She bit her lip anxiously as they listened to the agonizingly slow process. She prayed against hope that this worked.

After a moment of quiet talking, there was a brief blanket of silence, followed by, "It's empty!"

"They must still be here somewhere. There's a boat on the beach!"

"Look around, moron. The place is deserted. How do we know that ship out there didn't drop it here to throw us off?"

"Yeah! They must have it! It doesn't look like they're leaving, either! We can still catch them!"

"Let's go!"

The sound of muffled footsteps led to splashing, and the chopping of disturbed water getting fainter allowed her to crack open the lid of the crate for a peek. She couldn't believe their luck; those idiots had actually fallen for that! After the dinghy had reached the ship, she felt safe enough to leave. Cautiously, she slipped out and stretched, as Link followed suit shortly after.

"Ugh, that was unnecessary," he moaned, rubbing his shoulder. "So what do we do when they go after the ship?"

Her eyes widened as the nerves of being discovered wore off, and the pirates' words began to sink in. "Oh hell, they're not actually-"

A loud bang echoed through the air, and they both spun to the ocean. The pirates were attempting to shoot the ship, which was quickly turning and sailing away to avoid the fire. They watched in tense silence as their only means of escape sailed further into the distance while the enemy attempted to give chase.

"…So, that happened," Link voiced with a bitter laugh. She simply gritted her teeth, balling her fists tightly and almost snapping the artifact in her hand.

"God_damn_ it. Stupid asshole pirates. Looks like we'll be here a while." She sighed and kicked at the sand in frustration, not bothering to watch her ship disappear. Sometimes, she was willing to admit, treasure was more trouble than it was probably worth.


	44. Fall

_This takes place during our ever-growing WW/PH interlude. Not yet 'romance subplot', sorry to say; I'm going to agonize you further and wander away from that, just for a while longer. No worries though, I'm not completely ignoring it. But for the time being, I give you… I dunno. Angst, I guess. Some trade, huh? Man, I'm a meanie… Sorry if it feels rushed; it's been a real long week, and I just want to go to bed._

* * *

**Fall**

The weather could change so quickly out on the ocean that it was terrifying if one didn't know how to anticipate it. Luckily, there tended to be telltale signs. The biggest one today would have to be the crashing waves that had been nowhere present this morning; this was a pretty big tip-off that a storm was approaching and would be upon them before sundown. The plan was to be docked by then, but they would just have to see what happened if the water kept throwing them around like this.

He sighed and stared out onto the water, glancing occasionally at a rather large wave that attempted to bowl them over. Of course, _he_ wasn't worried about being overtaken by a storm. He'd seen his fair share of them firsthand, and had come to learn proper procedures to prevent injury or damage. There were _others_, though, that tended to frown upon the same regulations, preferring to throw caution to the wind and let whatever happened happen. Even if it meant injury to oneself.

He rolled his eyes up to the crow's nest, where the fearless captain was climbing around and working without any regard for her safety. Even in the crashing waves, he had to admit, her balance never faltered. Even so, though, she had to be nuts to be doing that right now.

"Tetra, please be careful," he called softly. She looked down, appearing quite small as she occupied the sky above him.

"What?" she called back, shaking her head. "Can't hear you over the wind. Say again?"

"I said be careful! You're going to fall!"

He heard her faint laugh even over the water hurtling itself against the ship. "Not likely! I do this too much!"

"That doesn't matter!" he shouted back, trying to be heard. Why were the waves getting louder? "It only takes one screw-up to fall!"

"Link, seriously, I'm-"

Before she could finish, a series of irregular waves began pounding against the ship, sending it into a rock. He gripped the railing in concern, struggling to keep his balance. A short yelp from above drew his attention to the girl that was clinging desperately to a rope to avoid falling from the nest. The water settled as quickly as it had stirred, and after a brief moment everything returned to its state of moderate tranquility. He released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and snuck a look at Tetra, who was righting herself and looking quite please with herself, despite the shake-up from a moment ago.

"There! Told you!"

No sooner had she spoke when a final wave slammed hard against the boat. He stumbled and fell against the railing to catch himself. Hearing a loud scream however, he realized too late that Tetra had attained no such luck. Spinning around, he witnessed her tripping out of the nest, struggling to grasp a loose rope that was constantly beyond her reach. Time seemed to crawl by as she spun head over heels on her very short trip to the ground. With a sickening thud, she impacted the deck and was unconscious before the scream for help even formed in her mouth.

"Tetra!" he shouted, though he was quickly drowned out by a strong call of, "Captain down!" Appearing from nowhere, the men were at the girl's side, trying to rouse her and check for any immediate issues. Nudge kneeled at her side and examined her closely, looking for anything bleeding or otherwise out of place. Coming across a swelling ankle, he cringed and pulled the bandanna off of his head.

"Ooh, might be a sprain if she landed on it wrong. We should take her below," he voiced, carefully wrapping the cloth tightly to support the joint. "We have to be careful moving her, or she'll end up worse."

"Alright, easy," Senza murmured as they gently picked up their delicate captain. "Gonzo, grab the door, yeah?" Gonzo was already heading for his position and held it open wide as the other two carried Tetra below. He followed, and Link was right behind them – she wasn't leaving his sight, not when she couldn't help herself.

She was placed on her bed, and the men began discussing medicines and supplies that she would need. Leaving Link to watch over her, they left the room to fetch their equipment. "If she wakes up, she doesn't move. Hold her down if you have to," Gonzo ordered as he walked out. He nodded his understanding and turned back to her as they found themselves alone. He sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes, taking note of a small cut above her eye.

Dabbing at it with a nearby rag, he studied his unconscious friend and felt an overwhelming sense of pain settle in his stomach. "I told you," he whispered. "Why don't you listen?"


	45. Worry

_God, last chapter felt rushed. Is that better than no chapter at all? I'm not really sure._

_Anyway, onto tonight's. Takes place during the back half of Wind Waker. Sorry it's shorter, but I'll be away from my computer for the rest of the night, so it is what it is.  
_

* * *

**Worry**

Pacing around, she massaged the bridge of her nose while her thoughts once again turned to the hero. Was he alright? Was he dead? She hated this, not knowing what was happening. Why did she have to be down in this bloody basement? She could help him! Why did no one seem to understand that?

She absentmindedly tugged at her long dress. The thing was simply impractical; it hindered her movement, just like these stupid tight shoes. It was no wonder they didn't want her out there, but this was pathetic. She _wasn't_ a princess, so there was no need for these stupid clothes! She was a pirate! She knew more about fighting than Link did, regardless of the legendary sword he now carried. There was a lot being asked of him, to be sure, but the King had mentioned finding sages to help him. But why couldn't she help too? She could take care of herself; it made no difference to her if she was 'important', for whatever stupid reason.

She sighed and took a seat on a ledge, swinging her legs freely over the water that littered the lower floor. She hoped that he was okay. He _had_ to come back – she'd gotten used to having a friend to rely on. Besides, she was still stuck down here; if she was forever trapped, who would lead her men without her? They would miss her too much to even function properly. She smiled to herself; she loved her crew, even if they were goofy at times.

It was Link that she truly worried over. This wasn't his life, getting involved in an epic struggle for power. She wasn't sure she could forgive herself if he was killed. After all, it was indirectly her doing that he got involved in everything. Could he really get past Ganondorf's forces and repel his evil grip over the ocean? Naturally, she believed in him, but she'd feel a lot better if she was there to cover his back. After all, she taught him to use that bloody sword. But now he was in the position to save everyone and free her. _Oh, the irony,_ she thought with a bitter roll of her eyes.

She shook her head, trying to banish the thoughts. She had to believe in him. He'd done so much already, and made it this far without being killed. Surely dealing with a couple sages and the Dark Lord wouldn't be too difficult. After all, he was Link: kind, brave, tenacious… He was a natural hero. Who better to show that stupid fat prick who was boss?

She laughed. He could do it, she knew he could. But despite herself, she just couldn't calm her nerves. Part of her wouldn't stop worrying about his possible premature fate. It wouldn't happen, though. It _couldn't_ happen.

Right?


	46. Absence

_Holy shit, can you say 'tired'? This weekend was unbelievably not at all a break; if anything, it's worn me down more than the week has. Tomorrow's going to kill me… But for now, here's the update that everyone loves! Hopefully it's… coherent. I couldn't even proofread without fighting sleep._

_Sort of a tie-in to 'Worry'._

* * *

**Absence**

Sailing over the vast ocean was so relaxing, and so _freeing_. He was given the opportunity to go anywhere, to accomplish anything that he wished. Except right now, when he had a mission to complete and a villain to put down. So, looking for pieces of an ancient magic may not have exactly been 'freedom', but it was still better than being trapped in a basement.

Glancing up from his charts, he sighed and adjusted his course. So if this was always relaxing enough for him before, why did his thoughts now keep turning to her? Trapped in that dank chamber, cut off from all contact, alone in the dark… He felt awful leaving her behind, but what else could have been done? The King insisted that her life was of the utmost importance, and had to be protected. Conversely, _he _was the hope of everyone on the Great Sea, but it was up to him to accomplish the tasks set before him. It still didn't make a whole lot of sense to him, but he was far past trying to figure it out. The King refused to divulge anything, so unless he didn't even have a reason for doing so, it was likely to remain a closely guarded secret.

He knew that Tetra absolutely detested the idea of sitting out of a fight, but there were powerful forces at work. She'd saved him from the King of Evil once already, but almost at the cost of her own life. He had the now-restored Master Sword, and according to the King, even that wasn't enough to confront Ganondorf with. If that was the case, there was no way he wanted her getting involved. Even though, knowing her, she'd figure out a way to intervene anyway. She always did, somehow.

Turning his eyes back to his charts, he massaged his temples as the markings before him began to blur. Goddesses, he was tired… He'd hardly had a break since he had last parted with her. Between sages and golden powers, the King was keeping him too busy to even sleep more than an hour. Lives were at stake, the man had always repeated. He wasn't sure how effective he'd be if he was fatigued and tripping over his feet, but then again, he wasn't the expert. _That would be the man who headed the flooded kingdom_, he thought bitterly. Clearly the exhaustion was starting to get to him.

Despite that, he had to finish his quest as soon as possible. Tetra was waiting for him, _depending_ on him to succeed. And he couldn't believe how much he missed being around her. She always had the answers to his questions, the solutions to his problems, and a cheeky remark to pull him out of an overwhelming expectation. He'd only known her for several months, but it was funny how close they'd become, and how much he had come to rely on her. Being away for such a period of time was… odd. Like a newly formed hole in his life that was now unfillable.

He shook his head, trying to wash away the weariness from his body. He was getting close to the end. Soon she'd be back by his side, and they could put all of this behind them. And then, hopefully, they could continue their friendship without having to go their separate ways. He didn't want to go back to being an island boy now; he'd been exposed to a whole new life, and she was at the centre of it all.

He only hoped that she was okay, and that he lived long enough to see her again. As each step in his journey brought him closer to the Dark Lord, he had an increasingly unsettling urge that he was taking a step further from her.


	47. Parentage

_Called it: today damn near defeated me wielding sleep as a brutal weapon. Regardless, I must press on to bring about the next engaging chapter for my ever-fervent readers. Almost at fifty chapters, I can't believe it… I didn't actually think I'd even get this far, you know? Just watch, we'll hit the magical one hundred yet!_

_Having any change in parentage, be it indifference, absence, divorce or death is scarring, as anyone who knows from experience can tell you. Don't take your parents for granted._

* * *

**Parentage**

They leaned out against the railing, gazing at the endless water that stretched out beyond their sights before finally meeting the sky in a fusion that was ever-elusive. She never tired of the ocean; no matter how many complained about the hardships of living on it, she would always view it as a prospect to take one's fate from the world. It was… freedom, as Link had once described. That was pretty much it, dead-on: it was the choice to head off to wherever and prove yourself, or bow under its daunting presence. She lived for that feeling, every minute she took control of her vessel. It was indescribable.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured, and he nodded beside her.

"Definitely. Especially when the sun catches it right and it just glitters. When it's calm like this, you know?"

"Not just that," she replied, "but its rapport with life. Its entire idea of conquering your fear of it to conquer it yourself. And that's the whole point – when you do, it provides opportunity. It gives chances. It's generous, if nothing else. Right?"

"Not necessarily," he said, shrugging. When she gave him an inquiring raised brow he shrugged. "It takes lives too. I know of a lot of people who've been lost during a storm or hurricane or something. Even falling overboard drowning is a real risk, right? Not everyone conquers it like you say. You need to be careful or else you can die."

She blinked. That was a pretty blunt statement from him. Usually she was the cynical realist, not _him_; he was the one with the positive outlook, with the view that bitter experience hadn't soured. So where had that come from? "Please, it's not _that_ treacherous. Who do you know that's died on the sea? Who couldn't handle the poor water with its splashes and breezes?"

He shrugged again. "My parents," he responded casually.

She was silent, her mouth hanging open in a half-formed thought that had died once the realization followed his words. She'd never known, even _guessed_ at that part of his life before. Somehow, it had never occurred to her to ask. "…Oh."

He nodded, turning back to the blue vastness. "I told you, it happens. You've stayed alive because you're smart, but I don't think you've ever been unlucky enough to be caught in a tempest. Therefore, you can't say for sure what others are made of when they fall to it."

She was stunned, unsure of what to say. Overwhelming guilt from her careless words was flooding throughout her body, but her mind remained blank, bewildered by the dramatic one-eighty the conversation had taken. "I… Link, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," he responded nonchalantly. "I can't assume you'd _hope_ to be caught in a storm."

"No, not that," she said quickly with a shake of her head. "About what I said. I didn't know about your… I should've thought about what I was saying. I spoke too carelessly, that was just rude."

"Relax," he answered with a wave of his hand. "How were you supposed to know? I never told you. No offense or anything; I wasn't purposely keeping it to myself, it just never came up."

She nodded slowly, but his words didn't change the fact that she felt like a huge, inconsiderate ass. "How old were you?"

"Five, I think," he said, trying to think. "Aryll was only one or two. They just left one day, to travel to Windfall or something for a trip. They never came back."

"Goddesses," she muttered, putting her arm around his shoulders and squeezing him into a side hug. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "A sailor found what was left of their boat after a storm, and eventually the story made its way to Outset. I think I was upset for a little while, but I got over it rather quickly. Still don't know why or how though."

He said it as if he was reciting the weather. There was no hint of sadness, or pain, or even anger directed at her carelessness. It simply didn't seem to faze him in the least. "How can you be so removed about it all? Doesn't it bother you?"

He squinted, mulling over the question. She watched silently, privately surprised at the hesitation. "Not really. I don't remember much about them anymore, besides that they were really kind. Poor Aryll doesn't remember them at all; she just stares at pictographs and tries. I think about them from time to time, but our grandmother took to raising us once we were orphaned, so I'm used to seeing her as my guardian. She's not the same as a mother or father, but we were a lot better off than having no parent at all, you know?"

"I guess," she murmured, not removing her arm from him but turning her eyes back to the water below. Suddenly it didn't seem so inviting. The misguided innocence it had veiled itself in had been lifted, and she saw the other side for what it was; aggressive, relentless, and pitiless. But at least he and she had similar situations to relate to. "Well, I never knew my father either. He left before I was born, so I don't even know who he is. Maybe I've met him before, who knows. I really don't care, though. Whatever reason he had, he isn't in my life, and I have no desire to undo that. I got along just fine without him."

He smiled, and she glanced at him curiously. Holding back a chuckle, he added, "Or maybe we're both just damaged because we don't have parents and made do with substitutes instead."

Despite herself, she found herself snorting at the idea. "Maybe that's why we get along so well. It's a vibe we give off to attract others like us."

"Oh, good, _that_ doesn't sound sad," he laughed. "We give off a damaged orphan vibe. Glad being potentially screwed up isn't rewarding enough."

"Hey, even if we might have had to do a lot of growing up ourselves, I think we managed all right," she smiled. "At the very least, we both have someone who understands. That's more than a lot of people can say."

"True," he nodded in agreement, slipping his arm around her as they stood side-by-side comfortably, staring out once more at the ocean. It seemed different to them both, much more real now that two truths were out in the air. But there was no hint of fear – only the excitement of freedom. "And I'm thankful we have that."

Her eyes gleamed in agreement. "Me too."


	48. Dispute

_So, power's out. Which means what you're currently reading was written on a limited laptop battery with no internet connection. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… Except, no, there was no good. It was pretty damn dismal. Also, I'm ready to die, in case this seems weirdly written or something._

* * *

**Dispute**

"I know it doesn't make sense, but just trust me, okay?" she called to her crew, who nodded before setting out to their stations. "I got a good tip back at port, so I know what we're doing."

He shook his head in disbelief. If he ever needed proof that her men were loyal, it was that they followed her no matter what she asked. Even now, when she gave directions to a vaguely known island in the middle of nothing, there was only a slight bout of questioning before they set out to fulfill her orders. It was almost inspiring to observe; even if her tip turned out to be a hoax, they wouldn't complain. She would have to make it up to them somehow, but they weren't ones to hold grudges. They were too committed to their captain.

Approaching him, she stretched her arms out with a smile. "Time to be underway," she spoke lightly. "I can't wait to find that cache. It's going to taste so sweet!"

He chuckled. "As long as it's real, right?"

She frowned. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It just seems too good to be true. If that sailor knew about a treasure location, why would he just tell you? Why not go find it himself?"

She was silent a moment as she searched for an answer. Coming up with nothing, she simply replied, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, alright? We caught a break, that's all."

"Assuming there _is_ a treasure, yeah," he added. "We don't know that yet."

"What makes you think there isn't?"

"I don't know. The reason opposite what makes you think there is?"

She shook her head. "Which is what, exactly?"

"I have no idea. I just don't believe it, that's all."

She sighed and looked away. "Whatever. You'll see soon enough, I guess."

Was she not considering what he said before dismissing it? "It doesn't occur to you that _you_ could be wrong?"

She blinked. "Wait, what do you mean? Should we not act on the tip? I can't do that, it's too risky."

"And _this_ is too easy! It's supposedly in the middle of nothing! Why would anyone put a treasure way out there? It's deserted ocean!"

She snorted. "So I'm wrong. Because you think it's 'deserted ocean', we should just brush it off as a useless joke."

"I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just saying you're being pretty demanding on some rumour. What if there's nothing? Doesn't it affect the morale of the men or something?"

Her eyes narrowed, seeming not to notice the end of his sentence. "You think I'm too demanding?"

"No!" he protested. "Well… I mean, you _can_ be, sometimes. Like now, for example. The poor guys just came off of their break; they were only at port for a day. And now we're shipping out to some random island at top speed over a rumour? I'm just saying, you could go easier on them."

"Don't tell me how to lead!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms out in disbelief. "Are _you_ their captain? Do they trust _you_ with the decisions? No! So just let me do what I command. That's how this works, got it?"

"Hey, I'm not trying to pick a fight," he responded, throwing up his hands defensively. "I was just… Never mind."

"No, please, humour me," she urged, a mask of anger flashing across her face. "What was it you were doing?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I was just giving my opinion on your actions lately. But now you're going to freak out."

"Freak out?" she yelled. "Why ever would I freak out? Certainly, you're entitled to your opinion! And since it's noted, why don't you go swim back to port and take the bloody thing with you?"

"Will you calm down?" he asked, though he could feel his patience beginning to evaporate as well. "I didn't mean to start an argument. I just didn't think that the treasure would be real because your tip came so easily."

"And _then _you took a jab or two at my leadership skills," she continued, "before capping it off with inferring that I'm a hothead. No, yeah, I'm totally in the wrong right now."

"You _are_ hotheaded!" he countered, frustrated. "You've told me as much!"

"Shut up," she interjected before he could continue. "I don't care. Your opinion is stupid, and I don't want to hear it anymore. For the record, I _never_ want to hear your thoughts on how I lead my crew. That's my business, not yours. Finally, calling me quick-tempered is likely going to blow up in your face. So maybe watch it in the future before you get tossed overboard."

"So you're denying that you're quick-tempered?" he frowned. "Do you hear yourself right now? You sound like a child."

"Excuse me!" she retaliated. "I assumed that, since I was _talking_ to one, it seemed appropriate!"

"Goddesses, will you stop?" he shouted. His tolerance that had held back his tone was gone, and he was quickly letting loose the anger that had slowly been building. "All you do is attack me! I'm trying to talk and you just take offense and shout!"

"Why would I not take offense?" she shot back. "You did nothing but call me out on everything I do! That's not talking, that's being an asshole!"

"Oh, we're name calling now? Mind if I call you on the fact that some sailor deceived you?"

"Yes, I mind! What the hell is your problem, you jerk?"

"I guess whatever yours is!" he screamed. "How's that for being fair? Now, can we agree that this is stupid and not going anywhere?"

"Oh, it's going somewhere," she muttered, glaring daggers into him. "It's going to bite you in the ass, I promise you that." With that, she spun on her heels and headed for the door, retreating below deck with a loud slam. His eyes followed her, seething at the attitude that had just departed. After a moment though, he sighed and dropped his eyes to the deck, turning and heading for the bow.

That had been unpleasant. And really, it had come from nothing. _Had _he been accusing her? He wasn't even sure anymore. It was obvious that she was upset, but she'd done a real number on him as well. Did they both take some blame them? Probably – that tended to be the way of things.

He sighed and took a seat on the ground, staring out off the deck while lost in his thoughts. Regardless of what had happened, he hated fighting with her. The only thing that was stopping him from finding her and making up was that she was going to be fuming for another few hours yet, locked away in her cabin. He didn't like it, but understood the feeling. Because despite a twinge of guilt, he also carried a great deal of anger inside himself, and he had no immediate desire of letting it go.


	49. Apology

_Goddamn effing migraines…! Absolutely ruined my day, no question. Also, I might have the flu apparently? I have no idea; I just know that I feel like absolute shit. So yeah. Last chapter felt… spotty, because I was barely conscious. This one feels the same, for similar reasons. It's a shame, because I had these two planned out SO well…_

* * *

**Apology**

She sighed and buried her face in her hands. It was an interesting progression: she'd gone from pacing around her room angrily, to irritatingly taking a seat at the foot of her bed, to withdrawing with her knees to her chest and trying not to break down. Why was she angry? There wasn't a solid reason she could remember; she had just let some petty issue get on her nerves and she'd blown up. Then it had escalated to a heated argument, and now they were livid with each other. And it was essentially her fault.

What was her problem? That was something she'd asked _him,_ but it was completely misplaced. She felt horrible, but was far too ashamed right now to even try and face him. Maybe he would decide to leave, to return home or even take a new journey. She hoped that wasn't the case, but honestly wouldn't blame him. Even _she_ would want to get away from someone like her. Goddesses, she was a terrible friend...

A light knock sounded from her door, shaking her from her thoughts. Hesitantly, she made her way across the room and slowly swung it open. Link stood there, flashing a brief smile across his face. "Hey," he mumbled. "Can we talk?"

She nodded awkwardly, and he stepped into the room and closed the door. They stood there in the piercing silence, neither looking the other in the eye. She sighed and rubbed her temples, finding the tension unbearable. So she decided to speak first. "I'm sorry."

She blinked as he simultaneously repeated the words, and they shared an embarrassed chuckle. He asked carefully, "Do you mind if I talk?" She shook her head and took a seat on her bed, giving him her full attention.

He took a deep breath, seeming unsure of where to begin. "Um… I'm sorry, okay?" he began. "I didn't mean to sound accusing earlier. I was doing some thinking and decided you were right – I was trying to force my opinion onto you when it really didn't matter. I don't want to be that kind of person, you know? I don't know why I-" He trailed off as she desperately shook her head.

"Please, don't," she murmured, glancing down at her hands. "It wasn't your fault, okay? You didn't do anything wrong. I overreacted so badly, and for what? A stupid fight? That's not even close to a legitimate reason." She took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. "I just feel so bad about what happened. I'm really sorry."

"Hey, relax," he replied, waving his hand. "It's not that big a deal, okay? I mean, it was a silly misunderstanding, right? We were both wrong, and we're both sorry. Why don't we put it behind us?"

"Because I can't!" she argued. "I don't even know why I lost it! I just did, and that isn't fair to you! What sort of friend just blows up for no reason? You don't need that from me."

"Look, I don't really care why it happened," he countered with a shrug. "You were tired or something, I was frustrating you. I was tired or something, and you were frustrating me. We just got on each others' nerves. It just happened, but it's not the end of the world."

"I just…" She felt a tear roll down her cheek. So much for being tough. She was such an emotional wreck; if anyone picked through her outbursts, she usually ended up crying. Why did she even try and cover up her worries when he could see through her? "I just feel so guilty! Do you understand how stupid I look right now? I'm crying because we yelled at each other and you aren't mad at me! Why do you even hang around? This must drive you insane!"

"Tetra, calm down," he said softly, pulling her into a hug. "You think it's worse than it really is, okay? I don't mind that you are the way you are; everyone has issues, we're both great examples of that. It's part of what makes you unique, whether you like it or not. And besides, where else would I be if not here with you? Who would help you when you get all sad like this?" He flashed a grin and she let out a choked laugh. "I'm not going anywhere, alright? It was just a stupid fight – it's not going to destroy our friendship. Everyone fights! Aryll and I used to argue every week! Hell, we did the same, way back when! So don't worry, please?"

She nodded and wiped her eyes, breathing heavily to calm herself. "Okay," she whispered as she hugged him back. "I'm sorry I yelled."

He gently shushed her as he rubbed her shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry that I yelled too. I didn't mean it."

She sank back down onto the bed, pulling him down beside her. Resting her head on his shoulder, she mumbled, "I don't like it when we fight. Especially over stupid reasons."

"I don't either," he agreed. "I promise I won't judge your intentions anymore, 'kay?"

"Okay," she said softly. "Not that it's really a bad thing; it was me, not you. But I promise that I won't freak out over nothing. Or I'll try my best, anyway. No promises."

He laughed and squeezed her tightly. She enjoyed his touch; it was so soothing, so reassuring when she was upset. He was so much more understanding than she deserved. He probably didn't know how thankful she truly was to have him as a friend.

They held each other for a moment before he stood up. Pulling her to her feet, he asked tenderly, "Now, shall we go find that treasure?"

She smiled and nodded, following him to the deck and interlacing her fingers with his own. "Yeah. Let's."


	50. Kiss

_It's been a long time coming, but we've finally hit chapter 50, and with it a milestone I've been dying to reach. This takes place after 'Remember', 'Dispute' and 'Apology', coming up very short on Phantom Hourglass. Nothing else to say; I hope you enjoy._

* * *

**Kiss**

Grunting, he heaved and lifted the crate, setting it rather unkindly onto a second one. It must have been some law that the cargo bay would become disorganized no matter how clean it was kept. He never even saw it happen; it may as well have been someone playing a sick joke. Despite that, it bothered him when he couldn't find something he happened to be looking for. So he'd taken it upon himself to once again tidy up upon discovering its state of disorder. The immediate regret was that he had attempted such a task alone.

He sighed and leaned against his new tower. Removing his hat and tossing it aside, he ran his fingers through his damp hair to cool off. It was a little warm down here – there was no circulation of air, which left a stale taste in his mouth. There was no sunlight reaching this low either, hence the dimly lit candles mounted on the walls. It was actually a decent, peaceful atmosphere. If one could get past the nagging mugginess, that was.

"Link?" He glanced to the stairs. "You still down there?"

"Not going anywhere," he called back. "I might actually just die down here. It's become sort of homey."

A light laugh carried down the stairs along with its source, and she glanced around in the dim light. "Hey, not bad," she complimented. "You work fast. It's only been about a half hour."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but I _am_ motivated by 'I don't want to be down here'," he joked, and they shared a chuckle. "So what's up? Found the ghost?"

"No, not yet," she shook her head. "I had something I wanted to talk about."

"Alright," he replied with a shrug. Taking a seat on a crate, he asked, "Is it serious?"

"Um…" she trailed off, glancing down at her feet. He raised a brow curiously, but she seemed to be battling over a response. After a moment she said, "I guess it is to me. Is that okay?"

"Of course," he nodded. Placing his hands in his lap, he waited expectantly while she began to pace back and forth. The silence drew on longer than he'd anticipated; whatever she wanted to talk about, it was definitely personal. Although, the fact that she was addressing it of her own accord was a pretty big step for her.

"Okay, uh…" she began hesitantly, "I think – and correct me if I'm wrong – but I think there's a bit of… tension between us."

He blinked, confused. Whatever he'd been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. For that matter, he wasn't even sure what it was she was saying. "What sort of tension?"

"Like… I don't know," she mumbled, staring at the wall while her face began to glow. "Like… Attraction."

He stared at her, unsure of what he'd just heard. Attraction? Had _Tetra_ just uttered the word 'attraction'? Was she feverish? "You mean, you…?"

"Maybe?" she shrugged. "And I get the feeling that you do too."

He wasn't sure what to say. Part of him wanted to deny it, but he decided against it. She _had _come down here and admitted to it, so why should he lie? So he nodded. "I… Sort of."

"Thought so," she replied, and they let an awkward silence hang between them. Their secrets were out in the open, and rather unexpectedly. Had she come down simply to confirm that? Or was there another motive behind it?

"Why did you want to talk about it?" he asked, glancing at her and hopping off his seat. She sighed and fingered the bridge of her nose, trying to organize her thoughts. He watched her patiently. She had never appeared like this before. She was standing before him, opening up her feelings without any prompting from him to do so. There was no frustration in her eyes, or sadness in her frown. Which meant that he wasn't sure how to read her. What was it she wanted?

"I don't really know anymore," she sighed again. "I thought… that maybe talking about it would help, for some reason. But I wish I hadn't mentioned it. This is really awkward. I mean, no offense."

"Hey, it is for me too," he responded quickly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you felt you could talk to me about it. It's just sort of weird now that it's actually _known_, you know?"

"I know," she nodded. Fidgeting with her fingers, she looked at him and took a deep breath. "Link, can we… kiss?"

"I- What?" he asked, taken aback. She was just full of surprises today. "Why?"

"Because, we've come close a few times already, right? I think that just says something about our feelings. And on your birthday, when were so close, and we were interrupted…" She glanced away, her blush deepening. "I just want to find something out."

His mind was blank with the thought of kissing her, but he found himself nodding – he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't want to. Quickly, she added, "It doesn't mean anything has to change, okay? We don't have to, like, get together, or whatever. I mean, unless we want to. Goddesses, I don't know…" She buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath.

He stepped closer until they were directly in front of each other. Gently pulling her hands away, he whispered, "Just one kiss, right? Something to think on?"

She swallowed and nodded. "Sorry, I'm really nervous now. This wasn't quite how I imagined it happening."

"Right, yeah, I _totally_ saw it happening this way too," he replied with a roll of his eyes, and she giggled. "Forget about being nervous. We just kiss, and then go back to our jobs."

"Right," she nodded. They stared quietly into each other's eyes, observing the other in a way they hadn't before. She stepped close so that their faces were only centimetres away. He glanced down at her lips and felt himself leaning closer. Or was she? He couldn't tell, and honestly, didn't care. She looked so pretty… Her eyes flicked shut as their lips were about to meet, and he followed suit a brief moment later.

The sensation of her lips against his was… tingling. They were soft, and warm. And she was kissing him, and he was kissing her, and Goddesses what was happening, how had it come to this, he didn't care because it was what he'd wanted for weeks now! She was kissing him firmly – inexperienced, but with intention. He wasn't much better but did the best he felt he could, pressing against her as much as he reflexively allowed.

How long had they stayed like this? It felt like an eternity, but was probably only a few seconds. He tenderly drew away, opening his eyes a hair to observe her. She looked bewildered, as if she'd come to understand the biggest secret of her life. Blinking, she stared at him and tried to find something to say. Before she could though, he found himself leaning in once more and taking her lips against his, and they lost themselves once more in the moment. He fought the urge to fall to the floor from his weak knees, but she was so much more important and was making it pretty hard to focus on standing up…

After another infinite length of time, she pulled away and could not suppress a wide smile. His face became hotter as he studied the genuine look that she gave him. "So… How was that?" he asked sheepishly.

"I think…" Her name was called, and she glanced back to the stairs. Smiling, she shot him a wink as she headed back up to the deck. "I think you've given me _lots _to think about."

She disappeared from view and he simply slouched to the floor against a box. His mind was racing with what had just occurred, but the buzzing feeling didn't compare to the absence of pressure on his mouth. He couldn't believe that had just happened, but it was amazing. There had been so much going on in that moment that he couldn't even put it into words. So he didn't try.

Rather, he let the moment of her leaning closer replay itself in his head, until his aching muscles caught up and drifted him off into a tired sleep. And so it was that he failed to hear the call indicating the spotting of the haunted ship.


	51. Similar

_Long weekend! I can finally rest and shake this goddamn flu. But until then, I still have to post a chapter, so here we are. Not too long into Phantom Hourglass, a bit of a character study._

* * *

**Similar**

As the steamship cut its way smoothly through the thrashing waves, he stood at the bow with his arms crossed. It'd been a long day already, but he didn't have too much to say. He was still angry, naturally, but also felt… defeated. By the sounds of it, he was going to have to embark on a massive quest just to figure out how to find the Ghost Ship. The very thought of it was daunting, but he _had _to get Tetra back. There was no 'if' that entered into his mind – she was alive, and he would find her.

His concern was that his heart just wasn't into the journey. Disappointment in himself had settled into the back of his mind, and he was beginning to lose confidence in his abilities. What was the point of promising that he'd protect her when he had so spectacularly failed? If only he'd been more focused when the ship was present – then she wouldn't be gone and he wouldn't be lost. That was another growing concern; no one had been able to identify for him any water that he could recognize. As far as he knew, he'd simply drifted into a whole new world while unconscious.

And now here he was, teamed up with two others he still couldn't assess. The fairy, Ciela, was certainly a dreamer. She enjoyed talking, but seemed genuinely excited to go out and see the world. She had a true adventurous spirit – almost, he reflected, like his dear friend. She had listened to his story and started making decisions for them, deciding automatically to help him rescue Tetra. He supposed he should be thankful that someone so kind had stumbled across him when he was in such a vulnerable position, but noted that she wasn't the first to offer help without expecting a return. He found it difficult to push the fairy away; she had an inviting personality that drew him to her. Whether he liked it or not, he had a feeling that they'd bond rather quickly.

On the other hand, the reputable captain who owned the ship was a direct contrast. He was ambitious, but it felt subtly that he had other plans besides finding the Ghost Ship. His cheeriness was a false one, meant to bury something far from the surface. It was strange, but he _also_ brought back memories of the pirate; she had similarly veiled herself in their initial interactions, as if unsure of letting out her true thoughts to him. How odd that meeting two new people had brought back so many feelings that led to his first meeting with the girl… However, this man Linebeck seemed to have no intention of letting him into his head. Whether or not that was an issue, he wasn't sure. There was a chance he wouldn't even be around long enough to get to know the man – he seemed dead-set on claiming the rumoured Ship's treasure and was focused on nothing else.

He sighed and rubbed his face gently. It was odd to be staring out at a different ocean, off of a different boat. It didn't feel like home; rather, it was a constant reminder that things were going to change before he could return to Tetra. Despite that, he had two new allies that seemed to reinforce her presence in his mind. Whether it was real or simply his imagination, he didn't care. This wasn't going to be an easy job, but he was thankful to have his resolve staring at him wherever he went.

Because his biggest fear was that he wouldn't have the strength to complete his mission. After all, he'd already let her down once.


	52. Surprise

_Tonight's chapter was inspired by my fighting of the flu the past few days. Not that I enjoy spreading it around, but… Well, I'm tired of it, so I figure I'd pass the agony on to someone else. Makes perfect sense! Takes place during the WW/PH interlude._

* * *

**Surprise**

Smiling, he jogged up the gangplank to a chorus of greetings from the crew. Laughing and joking with the group, he quickly got caught up in their dealings over the past week. He'd left to take care of some business concerning a dispute over property; apparently ownership of a cabana did _not_ simply pass via the handing of a deed. Supposedly he was to talk to an office on Windfall about the change. When he hadn't, the office had attempted to 'repossess' the oasis, as Mrs. Marie no longer had a deed to present to them. So he had been dropped off at the island to settle the dispute – which had taken considerably longer than he'd intended. The men had simply refused to believe that Mrs. Marie had relinquished ownership to a boy, which led to several days' worth of arguing. Once the woman had appeared herself to confirm the exchange, he'd needed to sit through another couple of days to take care of months' worth of backed up paperwork. His patience had paid off in the end though, as the oasis was now legally his. The only thing he still couldn't understand was the act of repossessing an entire island. The concept just went over his head.

Regardless, he tried to shake it from his mind as he chatted with the pirates. It seemed they hadn't done too much in his absence, apart from completely destroying a nearby Bokoblin tower. Not for a treasure like he had assumed, but just because it was there and Tetra hadn't felt like going around it. The notion seemed a little dark for the girl, until he was informed that there no actual Bokoblins present in the platform at the time. That sounded better: cold-blooded murdering was something Tetra held in reserve, but she wouldn't hesitate to destroy when bored. In fact, that had been one of very first things he'd learned about her. Ah, memories.

As he mused, he realized that the girl wasn't present with her crew. Hadn't she missed him? Seriously, he'd been stuck on Windfall for a week dealing with boring businessmen; he needed someone to complain to about their priorities. Not to mention he'd stopped at the café before boarding and bought some soup that he knew she enjoyed. Yet she was nowhere to be seen. He rolled his eyes and headed below deck, addressing the men that'd he'd only be a few minutes and tossing them a bag of their favourite treats. He smiled as he descended the steps. They'd come to accept him as one of them, and he enjoyed hanging out with them. Sure, none of them were into sparring, but daring each other over stupid bets held merit as well. Especially when Tetra was too busy working to pay attention to anyone.

Reaching her door, he sighed and knocked. It was probably what she was doing right now, pouring over her charts, planning out a path to their newest destination. Having an argument about her own priorities half-formed in his head, he gently pushed open the door and stuck his head inside. "Hey, I know you don't care, but I happen to be-" He trailed off as he noticed the girl was not hunched over her desk like he had anticipated, but instead lying in bed and buried under blankets. She appeared to be asleep, but her eyes cracked open upon hearing his voice, lifting her head slightly to look at him before falling back to her pillow. She mumbled something incoherent, so he closed the door and approached the bed.

"How was your trip?" she asked again, her voice barely above a whisper. He frowned and placed a hand on her head, feeling an aggressive fever present. Noticing a damp rag on her table, he grabbed it and placed it gently over her forehead while brushing her hair back. She looked dreadful, her skin a lighter shade than usual and her hair a dishevelled mess. Dark, sagging bags were present under her eyes while she shook slightly. Whatever she'd caught, it had definitely taken its toll on her.

"How long have you been sick?" he asked, ignoring her question and grasping her shoulder firmly. She shrugged weakly and buried her face into her pillow.

"Not sure," she answered feebly. "I was up all last night with a fever. Didn't get much better after that."

"Are you nauseous? What's wrong?"

"I am sometimes," she replied, attempting to sit up. "It sort of comes in waves. I have a pretty killer headache too, and my elbows are sore. Like, enough that it hurts to move my arms."

"And let me guess," he countered flatly, "no one knows."

She shrugged again. "No one else needs to be bothered by it. I went out to wet my cloth earlier, and no one noticed my condition. Obviously I don't look that bad, so it can't _be_ that bad. Make sense?"

He sighed and dabbed at her forehead. "No offense, but you look completely sick. So it _is_ that bad. Why don't you ever tell anyone? Those guys would do anything to help you."

"They have jobs to do," she replied stubbornly. "They don't need to look after me when I can take care of myself."

"Sometimes I wonder if you can," he muttered, grabbing a bottle out of his pocket. She eyed it suspiciously and recoiled.

"What's that?"

"What do you think? Medicine I picked up," he told her, uncorking the bottle. "Open up. I know you hate it, but I also know you haven't taken anything else, so you need it."

"I can do it myself, I don't need you to baby me," she argued, but flinched as she raised her arm to take the bottle. He shook his head and raised it to her lips. Grudgingly, she drank until it was empty.

"You just said it hurts to move your arms. Why do you think I'd let you take a bottle then?" he asked skeptically, raising a brow. She sighed and leaned back against the wall, trying to rid the vile taste from her mouth. Taking pity on her, he reached back into his pocket and swapped bottles, producing one that was filled with a creamy yellow liquid. Upon seeing it, her eyes lit up.

"Is that…?"

"Yeah, I figured it'd be a nice surprise for you," he replied with a smile. "I didn't envision giving it to you like this, but then again, it'll probably help. So… surprise!"

She giggled as he uncorked the bottle and raised it to her lips. She took an eager sip before pulling away and swallowing. Once she had, she looked him in the eye and spoke, "I _did_ miss you, by the way. Sorry I didn't come see you."

He laughed and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Don't worry about it. All things considered, you had a pretty good excuse."


	53. Help

_Well, after not doing a damn thing all day, I actually feel sort of better. About damn time… I also fought a vicious virus this morning, so for a while there was a chance that *gasp* there may not have been an update! But… no, I fixed it. Something off-track tonight – this actually happened to me once. Don't ask how, but it involved a dresser, a lego brick, and cheese. And I really wish that was made up… Takes place sometime during the earlier interactions._

* * *

**Help**

Out of rope? How could they be out of rope? It wasn't like it was supposed to be expendable; that was sort of the entire point behind _sustaining_ the stupid rope. That little coward Niko probably dropped it overboard and was too afraid to man up to it. But then he actually had the balls to address the matter with her, making _her_ fix the problem? Sometimes she had days where she just didn't want to handle stupidity. Really, was it too much to ask that people try and fix their own problems instead of dumping them on her? She was their captain, not their mother; they should be following her orders, not the opposite.

Luckily she was no fool, and always kept extra supplies below deck just in case of such events. Sad to say, they tended to happen often enough to warrant to concern. But she had the funds to afford it, so it wasn't the end of the world. She _was_ however beginning to question why she was the one constantly making the run below deck in such situations; the other, stronger men were unable to move heavy crates? She was half their age and doing more physical labour than anyone else… She needed to revaluate her leadership strategies.

Descending below deck, she sighed at the mess of crates stacked rather haphazardly. They likely should be kept more orderly, but that was a task for another time. One of these crates held spare rope, that she knew, but it was almost impossible to differentiate between them. Mako should have marked them ages ago; what was going on with the quality of her crew? This was hardly ideal for her reputation, now that Link was popping in every now and then and getting a close look at their dealings. She was sure she was coming off as unprofessional – that was going to be changing _very_ quickly.

Her eyes traced over the boxes only to fall back to a thinly etched 'R' on the side of one. She rolled her eyes in frustration. _Really, Mako? You couldn't have finished the other three letters?_ Approaching the container, she eyed the larger crate that was covering access to her treasure. "Go figure," she muttered quietly. This entire ordeal was exasperating; she just wanted a spare rope!

Grabbing the stacked box, she braced herself and tested its weight – it didn't feel too heavy. Whatever was inside felt loose though, so she had to be careful that nothing broke. Wiggling it towards her, she managed to tip it slightly into her chest and catch it. There, now to just bring it down…

"C'mon, easy… Oh, sh-" The crate's contents shifted heavily and fell towards her. She found herself caught underneath, being shoved to the floor and struggling to hold up the immense weight before it crushed her. _Goddesses, this is ridiculous. I'm not getting anything from down here anymore_. She tried to pick herself up but couldn't, the crate being too heavy for her to budge at this angle. "Wonderful."

"Hello?" a voice called from the deck, and she closed her eyes. Of _anyone_ to find her like this, why the newcomer? She had no desire to look vulnerable in front of Link, especially since she was trying to teach him how to fight. And now it was him making his way down the steps to investigate the disturbance. "Is anyone down here?"

She bit her lip and swallowed. "Just me. Relax, I just knocked over a crate." She saw him wander into view, looking surprised and concerned. Well, so much for that.

"Are you alright? Let me help you!" he exclaimed, stepping forward quickly. She shook her head and argued his wish. _This _was bad enough, but she would not show that she needed help. She was tough, like her mother had taught her to be. She could do this.

"Get back, I don't need you," she shot at him, and he faltered, confused. Struggling, she attempted to free her legs from underneath her, but was unable to. She switched tactics to trying to rock the crate to the side and off of her, but whatever was inside was resting right against her body. She was, for all intents and purposes, stuck. And she had no way of helping herself.

"Tetra, you can't move. I'm helping, alright?" he said again, stepping forward once more. She struggled against the weight that was slowly slipping from her grasp, but stubbornly shook her head once more.

"I'll do it myself!" She had no idea _how_ at this point, but she would not accept help. She was the captain, not some swabbie; she could manage. However, Link seemed to disagree as he gripped the container tightly, lifting it off of her and throwing it to the side. Panting, he held out a hand for her to take. Instead she picked herself up and dusted herself off. "Were you listening? I had it!"

"You were losing it," he countered sternly. "That could have really hurt you! Why wouldn't you let me rescue you?"

"Please," she snorted. "I hardly needed rescuing. I would have been fine, you would have seen."

He stared at her blankly before turning away to the staircase. "Whatever you say, then. Don't hesitate to ask for help in the future though," he told her as he ascended the steps once more. "I won't hear you get into trouble every time."

She laughed bitterly and returned to the box of rope. _That _was a riot. She just ended up in a bad spot this time, that's all. She didn't need help from anyone; she was a leader, after all. Leaders didn't _get _help because they were capable – everything they did could be managed alone. He just got lucky this time. It wouldn't happen again.


	54. Bored

_I forgot what a day off is again. Reality sort of sucks, doesn't it? Oh well, at least I can lose myself in writing – and you can momentarily escape the boring adventure that is life and delve into the lives of two immature children! Tonight's chapter is again after WW, during our 'growth time'. Everyone's done this, I'm sure; some do it repeatedly and are thus fantasized about being shot. I'm pretty sure I'm one of those people. XD_

* * *

**Bored**

Leaning against the railing, she sighed as her eyelids drooped. Occasionally there came a day when there just wasn't anything to be done. They simply had to sail straight forward through calm waters and manageable winds. That took at most two people working the helm and lookout, between eight of them working in shifts. She was nowhere close to her turn, and there was nothing else that needed her attention, so she stared out over the water and tried not to fall asleep in the warm weather.

Seated at the stern, Link was leaning against the wall and staring at the sky, rapping his knuckles against the deck. Of course _they'd_ been tasked together since the others had their usual pair-offs. But so far he'd just sat there tapping away whatever rhythm was in his head. Normally she wouldn't care, but her patience was already wearing thin today due to the lack of… _anything _to do. She would tell him to stop but based on past experience, it would only stick in his head for about five minutes. So unless she could just let it go, which she couldn't, she needed another strategy.

The problem was that the drumming was quite distracting, which only fueled her irritation. Didn't he realize that he was the only thing making noise right now? The silence would be tolerable – at least she could withdraw into her thoughts. That infernal _tapping_, on the other hand, only made me want to tug at her hair. How did he not find it annoying?

Wait. Maybe he didn't because it was stemming from his own hands. But if _he_ got a taste of it, he might clue in and stop, right? It made sense to her, so it was worth a try. She began tapping out her own rhythm with her hands, purposely contrasting his beat to augment the nuisance. She smirked as she did so; this was sort of fun when the intention was to annoy.

However, his noise did not falter. Rather, she frowned, it was growing louder. She glanced at him to find him still staring at the sky – it was as if he hadn't even noticed the additional duet and simply played louder to hear himself. She narrowed her eyes, never one to back down from a competition. Of course, this was probably far from being a contest, but he had unknowingly sparked one. And now he was going to lose it.

She began to drum louder against the railing, hoping to spark a reaction from the boy. His eyes flicked to her for the briefest moment before turning away. She smiled thinly, thinking herself successful, but quickly frowned when he began tapping his feet as well. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep a cool head. Now he was just screwing with her; too bad though, because now it was _on_.

She puckered her lips and blew, whistling a random assortment of pitches that contrasted both of their rhythms. He visibly flinched, but kept up his solo. She knew that he'd had basic musical training in his youth, so this dissonance would undoubtedly drive him crazy. All the better – she was finally getting her point across. He could stop anytime now so she could return to her thoughts.

Instead of backing down though, he simply began banging even louder, shooting a glare at her. She gave a dirty look in return and retaliated by increasing her own volume. It was no doubt that their clatter could be heard from all around, but luckily no one was around to suffer through the agony. No one except for Gonzo, who stood at the helm and cringed as the competition began to scale up to a war.

"_Why_ am I always the one caught in the middle of this?" he muttered with a tired sigh, gripping the wheel tightly and trying his best to drown out the racket. He knew it was in vain though, since the real battle had only begun. Without a doubt, it was going to be a long shift.


	55. Obsession

_Literally didn't sleep last night, I'm exhausted… Thank God I had this chapter almost finished already! Post-WW, as usual._

* * *

**Obsession**

It was hypnotic, watching her sit there, hunched over whatever it was she was doing. She'd been there for almost an hour now, parked near the prow with her back to everyone. Not so much as a word had been uttered, and she ignored anyone who attempted to communicate with her. All of her focus was going into her task, and she showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

He'd initially been interested about her chore, but the longer he'd stared the harder he found it to look away. He couldn't see anything from his seat on the stern's ledge, but her arm kept moving vigorously. Was she scrubbing the deck? He hadn't seen her carry out any supplies with her; she'd just dropped down and begun working. His curiosity was eating away at him, but still he couldn't turn his eyes away from the spectacle. It was simply so unusual for her; of course it was going to draw everyone's attention.

Ah, was that the idea? Perhaps she wasn't actually doing anything at all! It was just an attempt at some attention! …Or, no. She was already the captain, so that was sort of a given. Besides, she wasn't one to fish for attention – she tended to get it even on occasions when she just wanted to be left alone. So, was it a game then? She was just _trying _to screw with everyone, was that it? He tossed this idea around in his head. _Wouldn't be unusual for her,_ he thought with a shrug.

Well, there was only one way to find out. Deciding to finally lay his curiosity to rest, he hopped off of his perch and wandered over to her stooped figure, stumbling momentarily as he did so. _Wow, my legs are asleep. How long was I sitting there?_ Casting a shadow over her small form, he asked, "So, how's it-"

He stopped as he surveyed the scene before him. Her dagger was in one hand, with a rag in the other. The blade was practically glowing in the sunlight, but she continued to rub away at the metal, aggressively doing away with any stains that were long since taken care of. She didn't seem to notice his presence, continuing her job without any indication that he'd attempted speaking.

Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Uh… What are you doing?"

"The hell does it look like?" she answered without stopping. "I'm polishing my dagger. It was dirty."

"Yeah, um…" he hesitated, studying the weapon that shone in her hand. "I don't think it'll get much more polished than that. You could blind the _sun_ at this point. Like, it's not going to get cleaner."

"Does it look clean yet?" she asked quickly, thrusting the blade into his face. His eyes traced along the edge before spotting a rather miniscule stain which was already quite faint. Narrowing his eyes for a closer look, he felt her gaze boring into him.

"I see what could maybe count as a spot," he answered after a moment. She nodded firmly and resumed her scrubbing. Wait. She was not_ that_ neurotic… "Are you serious?" he asked flatly. "This actually bothers you?"

"Yes, it bothers me!" she snapped back. "It's not clean if I can see a stain! Now either help me get it off, or shut up! I need to finish this!"

"Tetra, do you realize how long you've been out here?" he asked slowly. "Like, a _long_ time. For that matter, why was I watching you for so long?" His face paled. "Oh Goddesses, I actually wasted more time than you did, and you're polishing a friggin' knife!"

"Dagger," she corrected, "and that's your own fault. Now go away and let me clean my favourite dirty possession."

He opened his mouth to reply, but after a moment simply threw his hands up and walked away. It seemed these days he was learning something new about her on a weekly basis. Not that it was a bad thing, but this was quite an… _interesting_ habit. Was this a regular thing for her? He'd certainly never noticed before.

_Lord only knows what she would do if she got a scratch oh it,_ he thought, and shuddered.


	56. Return

_*inhale* UUUUPDAAAATE! Suck it, writer's block! Eat it, ear infection! I am goddamn BACK! WOOHOO! Holy shit, y'all have no idea how much I've been wanting to write for the past… month and a half or so. But, wouldn't you know it, problems continued to arise. Along with being fired unfairly from my job (while I was away, no less) and finding and working my new one, I've been sick off and on. And away here and there. And then friends and relatives come into town. And the list goes on. But now, here's your first chapter in… I don't really want to look at exactly how long; the answer will only make me sick. Regardless, here is a thematic portrayal of how I've felt about this the past couple months. So… enjoy!_

* * *

**Return**

Beyond the horizon, it was not difficult to imagine the sea mingling with the sky it was close enough to kiss. The blues simply faded together, creating an expanse that appeared to never end. Was it true that the world was spherical? If one travelled in a straight line, would they really end up back where they started? The endless illusion invited one to stare as far as they could; almost as if whispering that, if you looked deep enough, you would see yourself on the other side. An endless circle creating a chain of ships on the endless ocean. Wasn't that a compelling thought?

Well, not really. It reminded her of holding up two reflective pieces of glass and seeing the endless 'tunnels' it created. Most people found that sight interesting, trying to position themselves to glance down the path to infinity. Not her; for whatever reason, the sight of endless copies of her was unnerving. She preferred the very physical world that they inhabited; the one she had travelled many times over while growing up. The sky doesn't meet the sea beyond the horizon – it's just an optical illusion of blue, that's all.

And it was the same damn sight in every direction. Blue here, blue there. Blue up, blue down. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, tired of searching for the speck of red that was clearly nowhere in sight. Where the hell was he? She'd been watching the horizon for so long that'd she'd begun to fantasize about 'what-ifs' and the grand scheme of the world. And those were thoughts that she hated having. The essentials in life mattered, not sitting around thinking about the stupid world and all of its mysteries, and _why the hell wasn't he back yet?_

He'd left weeks ago on an errand – some sea creature terrorizing a town or some such – promising that he wouldn't be more than a few days. She'd rolled her eyes at his heroism, but acknowledged that it was the sort of thing he wouldn't back down from. So she hadn't paid much attention once the first week had passed, and only brushed the thought from her mind during the second.

But by the third week, she'd begun to grow concerned. Day after day she watched the ocean, hoping to catch a flash of red as he made his way home, or a Rito soaring through the sky to deliver a message from him. But as the sun set and brought night, she'd been routinely disappointed. He'd been gone almost a month and she was beginning to fear the worst had somehow taken hold.

She closed her eyes, clenching her fist with enough force that her knuckles popped. That idiot. Why had he gone to be the hero? No one else on the damn island could handle a monster? It was probably just a Big Octo, which wasn't that bad – he'd taken care of them plenty of times. That wasn't a threat to him, so why wasn't he back yet? _I swear to the Goddesses, if anything happened to you… I'll find you and kill you myself for scaring me._

Nope, she couldn't even threaten him in her head. That just brought guilt that, realistically, she might not ever see him again. Why did that have to happen? They'd taken down Ganondorf, they were supposed to be safe now! Taking a deep breath, she placed her elbows on the railing, stroking the wood with her thumb. No threats, no crying, and no bargaining promises. She just wanted her hero back.

"Miss!" came a call from above. She glanced up to Zuko, who was spying something through his telescope. "Link," was all he said, and her eyes widened in surprise. Following his gaze, she stared across the water where a speck of red had appeared out from behind an island. The dragon carving and tall sail were unmistakable, as was the mass of green that was operating the boat.

She was silent, watching his progress as he drew nearer to the ship. _He's okay._ He was several weeks late, but he was alive. She caught him waving in the distance, but ignored it. Part of her simply couldn't believe it, but the proof was right there, pulling up alongside them. As a passing thought, she realized that she would actually get some sleep tonight. No more staying up and worrying about where he was.

She exhaled audibly as he climbed up onto the deck, trying to keep her composure. He was fine, just a couple of scratches on his face and a fading burn on his arm. All of that fretting had been pointless – of course he'd make it back okay. That said, he had a hell of task ahead of him, explaining his extended absence, and he would _never_ know how much he'd worried her… but despite all of that, he was safe. Relief washed throughout her body as her muscles finally relaxed, the meaningless stress of the past month blowing away with the wind.

Stretching his neck, the boy flashed a nervous grin and gave a small wave. "Hey!"

She rolled her eyes, but a smile rose to her lips. And this time she had no reason to fight it. "Hey."


	57. Fate

_So… Between my girlfriend lending me Skyward Sword, buying the new Animal Crossing, and, well, school, I've sort of been distracted as of late. (GOD, I love Zelda in SS – she's absolutely adorable!) However, with two writing classes this term, my creative spark has come around and kicked me in the ass once again. So new schedule: I'm going to try (note: TRY) to post a couple chapters a week. Failing that, then at least one. I feel awful for neglecting this all summer, and I know I have a host of loyal readers who are patiently awaiting the continuation. So I'm going to try my damndest to get back on track. And if I start to slack off, you have my permission to yell at me. Yay, free labo- *ahem* loyal readers!_

_Off the record: I loved writing this chapter – definitely one of my favourites so far. Before you ask, this takes place the day they meet._

* * *

**Fate**

_The ocean stretched endlessly beyond her view, the waves crashing in a rhythmic pattern. She glanced at her surroundings but found only water in every direction. Looking down, she saw that she was standing on the surface – yet did not feel the coolness washing against her feet. Waves simply passed through her legs as if she was nothing but air. Where was she?_

_The sunlight all around unexpectedly began to retreat, drawing further away from her. The shadows crept closer and she felt a shiver jolt up her spine. The darkness felt frightening, and on an instinct she took off after the failing light. Her efforts were in vain, though; the dark cloud overtook her, and the source of protection became all but a thin beam in the distance._

_A laugh, terrible and insane, came from everywhere. Wide-eyed, she searched for the source. There was nothing but blackness and the small point of light she vowed not to disappear. Even the water below her was vanishing from her sight. She wanted to escape, to leave this terrible place – but desolation began to burrow into her heart, claiming the hope that her light would stay. Surrendering to the misery, she began to close her eyes, bowing in defeat. What could she do? The darkness was taking her. It would consume everything._

_As she glanced for a final look at the light that would be her last view, it suddenly erupted, pushing back the shadows with a shining brilliance. Her eyes shot open in surprise. The light was fighting the darkness that was consuming the world! Looking all around, she noticed the two appeared to meet at a stalemate, drawing a line down the middle of the ocean – where she currently stood. She waited, her breath held. Which side would claim the other? And what would happen when it did?_

_The light shone brighter, and far into the distance, a figure appeared. She flinched from the blinding brightness but struggled nonetheless to see what had changed. The figure was approaching her and the shadows, striding over the water without a second thought. She caught a flash of green, and an outfit she recognized suddenly registered in her head. She knew this person! She had heard his stories dozens of times as a child, when her mother would send her off to sleep with tales of an ancient kingdom._

_Before she could speak, the Hero of Time was before her, his face neutral but his eyes serious, staring out into the darkness that loomed just before him. "History is to repeat itself," he spoke softly, refusing to meet her gaze. "The time is upon you. If the world is to be spared, you must be decisive."_

_Her tongue caught in her throat, and she was unable to speak. What was he saying? What was going to happen? And why would it involve her? The questions swirled around in her mind, but refused to form in her mouth. The Hero turned to face her, and for the briefest moment their eyes met. And then he was walking steadily into the embrace of the darkness, the reason for which she could not fathom. "Be strong, Zelda," hit her ears as his figure began to disappear into the shadows._

_Blinking in confusion, she was raising a hand to stop him, to call him back to explain, when she froze and took notice of the white glove that covered her hand. Following her arm with her eyes, an entire outfit became visible, one she knew she hadn't been dressed in only moments ago. An elaborate dress, ornamental jewellery, a strange glowing mark on the back of her hand … What did this mean? What was happening? The forces around her began to press against the other once more, and she shut her eyes, afraid to witness the result._

* * *

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the fatigue. A quick look around confirmed that she was in her room, and she sighed heavily. Raising a hand to her forehead, she noticed how damp it felt; she must have been profusely sweating throughout her mental ordeal. Rubbing the bridge of her nose gently, she swung her legs off of her bed and stood up, trying to gather herself. Sunlight poured in through her window, and she felt an odd sense of appreciation that she hadn't before.

What sort of dream had that been? It felt uncomfortably real. She shook her head slowly while peeling off her shirt and fetching her usual attire. Did it mean something, or was it just a very unusual nightmare? The words the Hero had spoken to her… They were chillingly cryptic for a dream. She took a deep breath and turned to look at the painting on her wall – the very one of the Hero of Time that her mother had explained about countless times.

She noticed a set of golden triangles above the Hero's head and thought back to the mark that she had seen on her hand. They were the same, but how would she have known that? She wasn't sure she'd ever noticed those triangles before. They were obviously important, but for her to imagine them on her hand? What had that been about, she wondered?

A thought clicked in her head: those triangles seemed oddly familiar. _Wait…_ she spun to her desk and yanked open a drawer, pulling out an old sea chart that her mother had used to sketch on. Her eyes widened as she studied the map. Yes, her mother had drawn those same triangles across six islands! She noticed a small red 'x' in the very centre and frowned. What did all of this mean? There was nothing where that cross was; she'd sailed through that water countless times. But these triangles that kept appearing? Her mother had known something about them…

She sighed and collapsed into her chair, pushing her bangs out of her face. She wished her mother was here. She would've known exactly what her dream meant, and what the triangles were, and whoever the hell 'Zelda' was. Pulling out her necklace, she stroked it gently while she thought about what had transpired in her head. Her dream had been too specific about information she couldn't have possibly known, but was turning out to be very true. What history was possibly going to repeat itself? Was it something to do with the ancient kingdom the Hero had protected? She gritted her teeth and grasped the necklace tightly. She wanted answers!

A memory flashed through her mind. She remembered confiding in her mother after a bad dream one night. Burying her face in her lap, she had asked why people had to dream at all. And of course her mother had had the answer. '_Dreams are important,' _she had replied soothingly while stroking her hair. _'They are a look into our true selves, our loves and desires. And sometimes, they are a message from the Goddesses. Never forget that, princess. It may be very important one day.'_

She sighed and slipped the necklace back under her shirt. Did that help her, or simply confound her further? She wasn't sure anymore. Maybe it was best to just leave this for now. If it truly did mean something, it would likely reveal itself in time. She stood up and twisted her hair into the bun she employed as an urgent knock sounded from her door.

"Miss Tetra! That monstrous bird has been spotted again!" Gonzo's voice rang through the door. "We should divert our course, yeah?"

She exhaled, annoyed. She was sick of that bloody beast terrorizing the seas the past few weeks. Maybe it was time to put an end to it. Opening the door, she met the man's gaze with a strong one and replied, "No. We're following it, and we're going to hit it until it stops coming back. Let's rid the ocean of that menace once and for all."

Gonzo nodded in understanding and returned to the deck, shouting her orders. She rubbed her face and followed, eyes tracing the skies for the bird. She had no time to worry about whatever had happened last night. If something big was going to go down, it could just happen without her.

After all, she didn't believe in fate. She lived her own life, and no divine intervention would ever change that.


	58. Dress

_So my writing classes are turning out to be something of a joke. I just frickin' love university, don't you? Take all these classes! They're useless to you, but you need to spend ludicrous amounts of money on them to get a stupid piece of paper that has no relevance to what was done in them! Nothing puts me in a worse mood than finding out I'm stressing over work that has no actual impact on my future. I cannot WAIT to be out of here._

_Oh, right. Um… This chapter is far from great and is simply silly, but it put me back in a good mood after writing it, so there's that. Character development? Not really, just a little insanity and masked anger. So, typical nonsense._

* * *

**Dress**

Link sighed, drumming his fingers against the table he was seated at. What was taking so long? They'd been back from shopping for almost twenty minutes; how long did it take to put away a couple of bags? He wasn't even sure what Tetra had purchased – for some reason she'd been oddly protective of her purchase. Goddesses, if she had bought dried Gyorg meat and was keeping it from him…

He glanced around the dimly lit cellar. It seemed rather dreary since he was alone. How pleasant. The candle he'd lit was steadily burning away, swaying slightly with the rocking of the boat as it hung above him. He'd be lighting another soon if she didn't hurry up and get down here.

"Come on, Tetra," he muttered over the growl of his rumbling stomach, "I'm starving. Some of us didn't eat breakfast this morning." He stared at the chair across the table, as if expecting it to answer in her stead. He held his gaze for several moments before realizing what it was he was doing and turned away.

His stomach growled louder and his eyes flicked up to the ceiling, trying to imagine what was keeping her in her room. "Honestly, I might die down here," he mumbled. "It would serve you right, though. Then you'd feel all bad for my passing, and it would destroy your life, and I'd just watch from wherever I was and laugh! It would be a perfect guilt trip! Well, besides the part about me dying. Other than that though, a total success! So ha!"

He snorted. "Then again, you really aren't the type to sit and cry. No, you'd bury your feelings and act as if nothing had changed. You'd pretend to be glad to be rid of me, I bet. But eventually you'd break down. The guilt would eat away at you from the inside, until the mere sight of green would snap your mind. You'd break down and sob over what you'd done, and for whatever the cause of my starvation had been. You'd be destroyed! And _then_ I would laugh!"

He laughed then and looked around the room for others to join in his evil thoughts. "Wait, who was I talking to? …Oh Goddesses, am I going crazy?! I just had an entire conversation with myself! No, wait, I'm not crazy. Crazy people go back and forth with themselves. Then again, I sort of did that. Or did I?" His eyes widened as he dropped his face into his hands. "I just did it again! I _am_ crazy!"

He began to panic until a stray thought entered his mind. In an instant he was sitting up again, mulling over the new point he had made against himself. "Actually… This was brought on by you making me wait for lunch! These aren't insane conversations, they're hunger delusions! Wait, are those real? Yes, they must be! And more importantly, it's _your _fault!" he exclaimed, pointing once more at the empty seat. "Well, I'll show _you_, chair! I mean, Tetra! Er… Whatever. My point is that no one makes me crazy but me!"

Standing up, he kicked over his absent friend's seat and marched out, heading for her room. Upon arriving at her door, he gave a brief knock and called, "So, are we eating soon? Or should I go save the world again while I wait?"

"What?" Tetra's voice sounded from behind the door. "Oh! Right, I'll be right there. I guess I lost track of time."

"Lost track? How?" he called back. "What've you been doing?"

"I've…" she trailed off, to his confusion. What, she wouldn't tell him? "I was putting my stuff away."

"Tetra, that should've taken two minutes," he answered crossly. "Tell me what you were doing!"

"No! It's not important!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm coming in."

"What?! No, I'm changing!"

"No you're not, you only wear one outfit!" he called, throwing open the door. "I don't understand why you're trying to lie to-"

He froze as his eyes fell upon her. The first thing that registered in his mind was 'pink', which was shortly followed by 'frilly'. This, with the addition of his tomboyish friend's face over it all, caused a level of confusion to the point where a pressuring headache began to form in his head.

He blinked, trying to find his tongue. "Um… You, you're… That, uh…" He swallowed. "That's a dress," he sputtered stupidly.

She sighed, though frustration flashed in her eyes. When she did not respond though, he attempted to continue. "Why are you… Why did… Did you buy that?" he asked, finally forming a question. After another moment of silence, she nodded. Realizing the pacing of their 'conversation', he took a deep breath and uttered, "Why?"

Silence took over once more before she shrugged. "Curiosity, I guess," she responded rather quietly. When he frowned, she continued. "I just wanted to know what it looked like. Most girls _aren't_ pirates and wear this every day. Since I don't have my princess dress anymore, I just bought this." She glanced down at the fabric. "It was the girliest one I could find," she added, looking away.

He didn't know what to say to that. Looking her over, he noticed details now that the initial shock was gone. The outfit displayed much of her legs, and the fabric cut off at her shoulders, and her hair was down, and… she looked very pretty. The appearance did not at all suit her personality, but she looked rather good.

He noticed her expression and realized that he'd been staring at her. Clearing his throat, he said with a shrug, "I think you look nice in that."

She froze, but her expression softened. Taking a step towards him, she asked, "You do? For real?"

"Yeah!" he said enthusiastically. "If you weren't a swashbuckling pirate, it would really suit you."

Her mouth pulled up into a half-smile as she stepped closer. "Thanks," she spoke softly, stopping before him. He was about to respond until she quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. "Now get _out_," she said with a shove.

He caught himself at the door and turned. "Why? I said you look good! Take the compliment and keep it on!"

"Link. Out. Now."

"C'mon, wear that to lunch! It'll be so cute!" he argued but failing to contain a grin. She shot him a glare so chilling that his face immediately fell, and he took his cue and hastily stepped out of the room. With the slam of the door she disappeared from sight.

"And I swear to the Goddesses, if you tell _anyone_, I will murder you!" her shrill voice yelled. He quickly retreated and returned to the cellar to resume waiting once more. As he walked he had a fleeting thought of how he might look in a dress.

"Ugh, nope," he muttered, quickening his pace. "Although…" He glanced down at his tunic and thought back to the number of people who had mistaken it for a dress. He considered the possibilities for a moment before shaking his head and breaking out into a run.

"I'm not crazy!" he screamed to the air. "Tetra, hurry up before the crazies catch me!"


End file.
